Just over $16.7 million is expected to be expended on the renovation of Region Two’s State House annex.
This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall to the Committee of Supply yesterday during the consideration of the estimates for the 2022 National budget.
As the House scrutinised the estimates under the Regional Administration and Finance for Region Two, opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Shurwayne Holder inquired as to what the sum of $16.7 million will be used for.
In response, Dharamlall explained that the Annex to the State House in the region was left in a dilapidated state for the past few years. While he stated that the opposition when in government did renovations to the actual state house, the annex was left, “to rot.”
“So the state house itself where the REO was living during APNU’s time it’s like a palace how they have redone it but they left the annex where the lesser beings would (find) abode; they left it to rot.”
As such he informed that the entire building will have to be redone, hence the $16 million allocation.
Meanwhile, as the House continued the consideration for the same region, Holder questioned the reason for the increase in the sums that were allocated for the purchase of fuel and lubricants. The MP noted that he was concerned as the budgeted sum for 2020 and 2021 stood at $3 million and $6 million respectively however, in the revised 2021 budget it was listed as $16.9 million. He told the house that he had heard of stories about fuel being sold, among other things, and so was concerned.
Regarding the allocation, the minister noted that there was the issue of flooding in Region Two last year, resulting in water having to be pumped out of the lands. Dharamlall stated that more pumping had to be done and this happens to be the reason for the increased allocation.
“So it is in that regard and because we want to elevate the circumstances of our farmers in Region Two,” he said.
On the issue of selling fuel, the minister stated that the ministry has launched an investigation into a matter in the region where a social cohesion officer under the previous administration reportedly requisitioned millions of dollars in fuel for the former government to campaign in Pomeroon. This, he said, occurred in 2020 just prior to the general and regional elections.
