Billions set aside to build, upgrade markets

Jan 19, 2024 News

Suddie Market on the Essequibo Coast set for upgrades in 2024

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana has set aside billions of dollars of its national budget to cater to the needs of local government facilities.

On Monday evening Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh announced several infrastructural programmes and upgrades set to take place in the various municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) under a $10 budgetary allocation for local government bodies.

Giving a breakdown of how the sum is intended to used Dr. Singh noted in 2024, $1 billion is budgeted to be transferred to Local Democratic Organs (LDOs) as subventions. He explained that in terms of infrastructure, in particular, community markets which are often the center of community economic life, $417.2 million was expended in 2023 to advance works in five community markets at Charity, Hydronie, Leonora, Mon Repos and Parika but in 2024, $1.2 billion is budgeted to complete these markets and to rehabilitate Corriverton, Kumaka and Suddie markets.

Additionally, over $50 million is budgeted for the rehabilitation of LDO buildings in various communities. “With the specific objective of providing support for routine maintenance of community infrastructure, 2,381 persons were employed under the Community Enhancement Workers Programme to continuously complement our LDOs and help upgrade the aesthetics of our communities,” Dr. Singh added. In 2023, he noted $1.5 billion was expended and another $1.5 billion is provided for in Budget 2024.
Furthermore, the Finance Minister revealed that 15,890 persons from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10 were recruited through the National Pathway Workers Project to augment the labour force at a local level and provide support for community services at $6.4 billion in 2023, while $10 billion is budgeted in 2024. He noted that as part of our ongoing effort to strengthen our administrative capacity, training in financial management and accountability is continuously being held with all LDOs.

“Cognisant that effective local governance forms a main pillar of a strong democracy, this Government will continue to provide support to all municipalities and NDCs, including institutional assistance to foster accountability and transparency and advance infrastructure development and enhancement across communities,” Dr. Singh added.

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Budget 2024, Dr. Ashni Singh, Local government, markets, Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance

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