Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge yesterday disclosed that Ramphal House on South Road which accommodates several departments of the ministry will be pulled down next year because of its dilapidated state and a new building will be erected.
The minister made this disclosure in the Commit-tee of Supply during the consideration of the 2017 budget estimates while being questioned by PPP/C Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.
Teixeira noted that $50M was allocated for repairs to the building last year and that another $100M is allocated in next year’s budget for the Ministry and she questioned whether the Ministry is continuing to spend millions on the building which Greenidge said was in such a state that it was leaking and damaging documents.
“Is it patch work? Is that not too much?” Teixeira questioned.
In response he disclosed that the allocation for last year was not spent on effecting repairs on the building but rather on preparation for a new edifice including working on a building plan. Next year would see the building being pulled down and he said he has been advised that adequate accommodation will be made for the staff members housed in that building.
Meanwhile, following questions from Teixeira, the minister disclosed that the government has made allocations for Guyana to settle arrears to several international agencies including the Organisation of Islamic Conference for which some $427.2M has been assigned. He explain-ed that Guyana has been a part of the conference since 1997 and has racked up significant arrears.
The PPP/C Chief Whip however wanted to know what advantage the country was gaining by paying up arears to the various agencies when large countries such as the US owe billions.
The minister stated that it was important to maintain the country’s voice at the level of international agencies.
“We have been seeking funding and it is good to be in (good) financial standing,” the minister noted.
But Teixeira countered that as long as the US and the other countries continue to owe “I have no conscience.”
Guyana is courting the Islamic Development Bank for funding and the minister said that the country would have to clear its arrears to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) before any request is considered. Earlier this year executives from the bank visited Guyana and listened to various proposals for funding from the government but its Vice-President Syed Aqa had indicated that it was too early to say what projects they would invest in.
Guyana became the 57th member of the IDB in March this year. There have been attempts to join the bank ever since Guyana became a member of the OIC in 1998.
In next year’s allocation for the foreign ministry, monies to the tune of $100M are also allocated for the hosting of the Caricom Heads of Government inter-sessional meeting and also for the various receptions that would be held for visiting delegations.
