…says regional education budget misspent over Independence celebrations
The Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) administration has completed 98 per cent of its work programme and Chairman David Armogan is optimistic that the Council will complete all proposed projects for the year.
Regional Chairman David Armogan
Speaking about the performance of the Regional Democratic Council, Armogan said that the Regional Administration has performed well.
The region was allocated $7.6 billion from the National Budget for 2019. Of that amount, $6.9 billion was budgeted under the current budget and the 97 per cent has so far been spent, while $744 million as budgeted on the capital programme of that, 96 per cent has been spent, giving an overall total 97 per cent the region’s 2019 budget.
“So, works are ongoing at the moment and some works have been completed as well but the payments have not been made as yet. And once the payments have not been made, it will not be reflected here in the report,” he explained.
If the payments are not made before December 31, 2019, funds will go back to the consolidated fund, Armogan explained.
“Every cent that goes back to the consolidated refund is goods and services that the people of Region Six are being robbed of because these monies were budgeted to do works for the people and if we are returning that money, it means that we would not have done what you were supposed to do,” the Chairman added. He added that one outstanding project is the purchase of a bulldozer. He said that $80 million was budgeted for the machine.
Meanwhile, under Administration and Finance, a total of $162 million was budgeted and according to Armogan, 96 per cent of the work programme has been completed.
“For this month, wages and salaries have not come out from the 96 per cent, so, it means if when this money is taken out, we will probably be about 100 per cent in the Region Administration and Finance.”
Under Public Works, $320 million was budgeted and so far, 84 per cent has been completed. According to the Chairman, there are still some bridges which are expected to be completed before the year ends.
Under Agriculture, a total of $875 million was budgeted; 97 per cent has been completed.
The largest slice of the budget went to education, where $3.7 billion was budgeted for Region Six with salaries soaking up almost 55 per cent. Ninety-eight per cent of the budget has been exhausted.
“So, in terms of repairs to schools and so, there is no money available right now. If there is an urgent need at the school during this out-of-school period, there is no money available. All have expired. I think that to some extent the money was misspent in some ways because for Independence celebrations, this region has to take massive sums of money out of the Regional Education
Budget to send two or three buses every day for an entire month to take students from some of the schools in Region Six to Georgetown. So, a lot of money would have taken away what could have been spent on other areas in education,” the Regional Chairman said.
