Despite the loud protest in the National Assembly this afternoon over the deadly MV Barima ferry tragedy, the Government of Guyana used its majority to push through the $54.9 Billion supplementary budget which came less than six months after the passage of the $1.558 trillion national budget.

It was explained that the supplementary budget covers just over $4.7 billion in current expenditure and another $50.14 billion in capital expenditure.

The Ministry of Agriculture will receive $8.3 billion including $3 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) within which is a provision for retroactive payments to workers at the entity.

The supplementary budget  also includes $807.5 million for the Guyana Rice Development Board and $4.5 billion for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)”, the statement said.

A sum of $17.5 billion under the Ministry of Housing has been approved for that Ministry’s “accelerated” work programme.

In this year’s budget, the Housing Ministry was allocated more than $159 Billion.

The additional funding is to cater for the further expansion of the Government’s housing programme and other initiatives.

A further $19.1 billion will go to the Office of the Prime Minister for additional resources such as those for the Government’s Gas-to-Energy Project, which has been delayed repeatedly, as its cost has also ballooned.

The project is not expected to get off the ground for another several months.

$8.5 billion has been approved for the Ministry of Public Works for additional resources to facilitate that Ministry’s work programme, including $6 billion for miscellaneous roads and drainage and $2.5 billion for hinterland roads.

Additionally, a further $600 million has been allocated to the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation for the provision of additional resources to facilitate maintenance of coastal airstrips and $496.3 million to support water interventions including water filling stations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also been allocated additional sums in the supplementary budget for the Customs Anti Narcotics Agency.

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