$19M set aside for Regional Development next year

Dec 22, 2017 News

Guyana’s regional development agenda is slated to receive a whopping $19M injection for 2018.
This was recently revealed by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, as he spoke about some of the achievements made at the regional level for his Ministry.
Bulkan noted that his Ministry committed to implementing in 2017, an annual activity to be known as the National and Regional Development Consultative Committee –NRDCC. He said that this is designed to strengthen and improve regional administration.
Bulkan explained that the inaugural NRDCC was held as scheduled but sadly, the seven regional democratic councils for which the main opposition Party has a majority chose to stay away. Be that as it may, Bulkan said that the NRDCC will be an annual event which will be held on January 19, 2018.
The Minister said, “This time, we do not expect a repeat of the boycott and we look forward to engaging the regional leadership in issues critical to the development of their respective regions. In keeping with the agenda of empowerment and regional pride, the forum will receive reports and deliberate on the activities and progress on the renaming initiative, regional flags and symbols.”

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

Bulkan added, “The Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region has led the way with their submission following a broad-based consultative process. The progress is slow but it is irreversible.”
Furthermore, the Minister said that the plans for 2018 also include Plans of Action for Regional Development (PARDs). The politician explained that PARDs are critical in ensuring bottom-up, consultative and community led development.
In this regard, he said that communities and their desires will be accounted for by regional democratic councils in their decisions and determination for regional development.
He continued, “The PARDs and NRDCC are critical vehicles for our regional democratic councils to engage with citizens, commerce and cooperative actors. Together, they will decide upon the development initiatives of their regions and through their combined actions, ultimately that of Guyana.
The recognition of this important vehicle for consultative development in budget 2018 highlights our administration’s emphasis on community input into our growth.”
Additionally, Minister, Bulkan said that another new initiative on the regional calendar is the promotion of the Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibitions (RACE) which will be held annually in every region.
Bulkan said that these exhibitions will showcase and promote local products in the respective regions. He said that the objective is to spur and support local economic development.
He noted that Demerara-Mahaica held theirs a few weeks ago along with the Potaro-Siparuni Region. Others have been held in Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo.