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Education delivery takes big chunk from Region Six budget
Regional Chairman, David Armogan and REO, Kim Stephens-Williams.
Region Six is expected to see some major investments and developments this year, with a budget exceeding 2017’s by $362 Million.
Regional officials, during a press briefing, recently, explained that the 2018 Budget which is $6.4 Billion represents an increase from last year’s budget, with a capital programme for 2018 running at $544 Million. The current programme for 2018 is $5.9 Billion.
Regional Chairman, David Armogan disclosed that the Regional Administration and Finance for 2018 was just over $146 Million under the current budget and over $13M under the capital budget.
Agriculture attracted $724M under the current programme while the capital budget was over $117 Million. Public infrastructure was given over $262 Million with the capital programme getting over $141 Million. Education which took 48% of the regional budget, under the current programme was given over $3.1 Billion and the capital programme going over $109 Million.
Meanwhile, over $1.6 Billion was allocated to health in the region with a capital programme of over $162 M.
According to Armogan, in 2017 the region was given provisions of some $6.1 B, of which the region spent some 99.16 %. “I think it is a commendable performance especially when we take into account that at midyear we were just over 30%. So for the second half of the year, we were able to push ahead and complete all the works we had allocated for 2017”. The budget for last year stands at $5.5 Billion, with 99.08% being spent in the region.
“The money that would have remained based on the voted provisions would be salary, wages and electricity and water charges. We have almost 2,175 workers within the region; our wages and salaries is almost 50% of our budget”, Armogan said.
He further added, “Under the capital budget, we almost expended all the $513 Million allocated. Our overall performance for 2017 would have reached our expectations because at the beginning of the year we did say to you, that we would have tried as much as possible to spend 100% of the voted provision.
“This is always our aim because we believe that every dollar that is spent in the region is to improve the lives of our citizens within the region”.
In addition, the Region Six Executive Officer, Kim Stephens-Williams explained that, the region is expected to excavate and dredge the Number 66 Village, Corentyne Creek. This will benefit over 300 fishermen. It will be done at a cost of $12. 7 Million.
Also, the construction of a road at Third Street, Lesbeholden South, Black Bush Polder will also be executed, “To upgrade access from mud to asphaltic concrete to benefit 110 residents”, Williams said, “[this] will cost $13 Million.”
For education, the REO explained that the Number 36 Primary School will be completed; the rehabilitation of Skeldon Primary at $15 Million will benefit over 500 students. The extension of the Department of Education (a computer room) will be done at a cost of $7 Million.
The construction of a sanitary block at the Tutorial Secondary School, “We are going to install ramps, toilets and showers there too”, she revealed.
Williams noted that in addition to the construction of the Maternity Unit at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, a theater at the Skeldon Hospital will also be done at a cost of $16.5 Million. The doctors’ quarters at the New Amsterdam Hospital is also one of the projects in the pipeline.
Some $30 Million will be spent on “furniture and equipment including of ward beds, foetal monitor, ventilators, cardiac monitors (will be purchased), so that we can strengthen the services provided at the health facilities that we had throughout the region,” Williams revealed.
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