“Year of Result-based Management” programme presented in Region 10

…to focus on agriculture, health, education, youth

With a clearly defined programme established, 2017 has been declared the “Year

of Result-based Management” for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) by its Chairman Renis Morian. A document which outlines expectations from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in 2017, was handed over to Councillors during the hosting of a meeting of the Council late last week. Morian, in highlighting aspects of the document entitled “Year of Results-based Management,” explained that the key areas of focus include agriculture, health, education, youth, commemoration and works. An additional section is expected to be added to include women and local government. According to Morian, the document will serve as a powerful guide as to where the Council intends to go in 2017. At the end of each month, he noted that Councillors should be able to measure and assess what was accomplished, as well as focus more on the categories in which they are placed.

Agriculture
In the area of agriculture, the document charges the Council to execute a major project in 2017, write proposals for funding, organise monthly meetings with farmers and to pursue results. Additionally, there are plans to engage youths in agricultural activities by promoting agriculture in schools, establish a working linkage with the Agriculture Ministry, the National Agricultural and Research Extension Institute (NAREI), the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and the Linden Agriculture Office, as well as to monitor flooding, among other areas.

“The Agriculture Committee, your plans got to be to meet the farmers… The objection is to improve production, because of the fact that we bring into Region 10 about 70 per cent of our agriculture foods. We need a working linkage now with the people who make agriculture happen… We need a synergy with the people who have the materials,” Morian said.

Health
Monitoring the availability of drugs at health posts in the pegion is listed as one of the top priorities, in addition to working towards improving conditions where medical professionals operate.
“All through the year there have been complaints, but we got to move now from complaints and come up with solutions. Coming here and complain wouldn’t solve the problem… We got to be solution oriented for 2017,” Morian told members of the Council.
Other areas for Councillors to follow which are included in the document are to see the establishment of First Aid kits in the RDC and schools, and to be visible at major activities in the form of a standby health team in collaboration with the Regional Health Committee.

Education
The area of education has been one of the most talked about categories between Councillors over the past year, with numerous issues being brought to the fore. The document outlines plans to work with the Education Department for the upgrading of schools and compounds, establish working relationship with school Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and to monitor education delivery in the region.
“We’ve talked a lot in 2016 and I don’t want a talk shop… this has been a sore point for us. We want to see school compounds look better,” Morian stated, while urging the Education Committee to work in collaboration with the Education Department. The Regional Chairman further stressed that there should be no substandard work in schools come this year, while he stated that the RDC will not be accepting Chinese-based products as part of schools infrastructure.

Youth
Plans for youths include delivery in the area of sports, education, an anti- drugs and alcohol programme, greening activities, developing of sport grounds and the establishment of a working relationship with sports groups in Linden.
Meanwhile, the Works Department is expected to be the eyes and ears of the RDC as it relates to maintenance, repairs and building of bridges, roads, buildings and other structures, in addition to supporting the Departments of Education and Health in overseeing work done, support efforts and projects to clean school compounds and work with PTAs to better the physical conditions of schools. The document specifically states that the plans of the Council must have measurably indicators.