Government has approached the National Assembly for more than $23 billion in order to cover several expenses, including those related to the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines and flooding.
Also requested is $1.5 billion in capital support for the “restructuring of the sugar industry.”
On Thursday Minister with responsibility for Finance Ashni Singh, laid two financial papers in the National Assembly.
The first financial paper is for a $1.9 billion advance from the Contingency Fund for the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Home of Affairs and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
The largest advance requested is $1,283,250,000 under the MoH’s Family and Primary Health Care Services’ current expenditure. According to the remarks attached to the request, these funds will facilitate the payment for vaccines, vaccine supplies and vaccine roll out activities to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus nationally.
A $5.4 million Capital Expenditure Advance is being requested for the Ministry of Home Affairs
to facilitate payment for motorcycles for anti-crime patrol while a $618 million is being requested for the Guyana Defence Force’s Defence and Security Support programme as advance payment for the procurement of an offshore patrol vessel to enhance the operational capabilities of the Force.
The second financial paper also requests funds for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines. In total it requests $21.3 billion in supplementary provisions, including the approval of $619.3 million in current expenditure on vaccines by the MoH’s Family and Primary Health Care Services.
Under the same ministry’s Regional and Clinical Services programme, $1.3 billion in current account funds is also being requested for the purchase of “drugs and medical supplies.”
The same ministry is requesting $691.9 million in Capital funds—$220 million to facilitate the upgrading and expansion of health facilities, $53 million for the purchase of vehicles and ambulances, and $418.9 million for the purchase of medical equipment.
Expenditures for flood relief are being requested under the Office of the Prime Minister’s disaster preparedness, response and management programme.
This programme, which was provided $5 million in the 2021 budget for current expenditure, is requesting an additional $10 billion for the provision of flood relief intervention, including repairs to infrastructure and supporting recovery in the productive sector and household.
In total, the supplemental expenditure is requesting $12.3 billion in current account funds.
The Guyana Defence Force will, once approved, receive an additional $394.3 million in resources for the regional joint support teams currently deployed.
The GDF will also receive $318.7 million in Capital account funds for the upgrading and expansion of infrastructure and provision of resources including furniture to the regional joint support teams.
The rest of the more than $9 billion in capital funds will be allocated among the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Housing and Water as well as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
A total of $17.8 million has been requested for the Ministry of Home Affairs for additional resources to support anti-narcotics operations, $1.5 billion for GuySuCo, $75.6 million for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to upgrade community grounds, and $2.6 billion for the Public Works Ministry for upgrading of roads and drains and the rehabilitation and fabrication of retractors spans for the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
The final series of requests is for the Ministry of Housing and Water, which requires $2.8 billion to facilitate infrastructural works in new and existing housing areas, $683.5 million to upgrade and expand water supply systems in underserved and unserved areas, and $273 million for the completion of transmission upgrade projects.
