2104 Budget debates...Region One allocation approved by National Assembly

2104 Budget debates…Region One allocation approved by National Assembly

Apr 12, 2014 News

– Security allocations face scrutiny

The Budgetary allocation for Region One, Barima Waini, was approved by the National Assembly after the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker provided answers to 46 questions posed by the joint Opposition.

Norman Whittaker

For capital expenditure (new infrastructural programmes) Government allocated $273.085M for Regional Administration and Finance; $121.879M for Public Works; $58.339M for Education delivery; and $58.282M for Health Services.
And, under current expenditure (mainly maintenance programmes) Government allocated $113.578M for Regional Administration and Finance; $188.907M for Public Works; $842.107M for Education delivery; and $348.252M for Health Services.
The Minister was grilled by members of the Opposition primarily on allocations for infrastructural works such as roads and bridges, market tarmacs; rental of buildings, availability of skills in the Region to execute works; salaries and contract workers; and security services.
As if expecting that the Strategic Action Security Services would have once again been awarded contracts to secure Government buildings, members of the Opposition inquired on the increases of provisions for security and which firm would be securing the buildings.
Strategic Action Security Services is no stranger to controversy. In mid-June 2013, police arrested Richard Kanhai, the main principal of Strategic Action Security Services, after a raid unearthed stolen property inclusive of OLPF laptops and a plough. The raid stemmed from police investigations into a spate of burglaries that took place on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara.
In addition, the Ministry of Labour has filed a case in the Court against Strategic Action Security Services for violating the national minimum wage law.
In fact, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Labour Minister in his Budget speech said, “We prosecuted 19 cases which were reported for failing to pay the minimum wage. And, charges were filed against one of the largest security firms for violating the national minimum wage and that is the Strategic Action Security Service.”
However, when Valerie Lowe, Alliance For Change, Member of Parliament inquired of the Minister if he is aware that Strategic Action Security Service pays its staff $120 per hour he replied in the negative, promising that an investigation would have to be conducted, while thanking her for the information.
The new national minimum wage law became effective on July 1, 2013. The new order stipulates a 40-hour work week five days per week, eight hours daily. Whittaker related that owing to the new minimum wage order, allocations for security have increased.
With regards to further questions on Strategic Action Security Service, Whittaker emphasized that it was the National Procurement and Tender Administration that awarded the contract to Strategic Action Security Service.
Nonetheless, it is Cabinet that gives its no-objections to the awards of contracts. Many security services have found it difficult to compete with Strategic Action Security Service since the entity is somehow able to place the lowest bids.