The APNU+AFC Opposition believes that it is now clear that although billions of dollars were set aside for capital projects in this year’s budget, the Government has failed to execute critical repairs and maintenance works along the Linden to Lethem corridor.

At a press conference at Congress Place today, Executive Member of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R), Mervyn Williams said the records would show that the National Budget for capital projects jumped from $387.8B in 2023 to $666.2B in 2024. He said despite the significant increase, the Government has failed to execute necessary works in several areas.

“With all of this money available for capital expenditure, 60% almost of the national budget, the government has not put a single piece of equipment in region or any hinterland region for that matter to respond to crisis situations such as these. The government does not have a maintenance programme that kicks in during the dry season or is on standby during the rainy season. These $666B target contractors, transferring wealth to contractors’ pockets and bank accounts, mostly for coastal operations,” Williams told reporters. 

Mr. Williams said while President Irfaan Ali was campaigning in Region One, the residents of the Rupununi continue to suffer due to the lack of a national or regional disaster preparedness plan to effectively respond to the collapse of the road at Kurupukari, and threats to a number of bridges in the area due to torrential rains. 

 “Roads have been washed away.  Bridges have been destroyed.  Farms have disappeared, and homes are at risk. Schools, health facilities, road transportation and other services have been disrupted.  Clearly, there is no national or regional disaster preparedness plan.  The government’s response is woeful,” the PNCR Executive said. 

According to Opposition, the Government was warned of the likelihood of floods hitting the Rupununi but failed to heed the warnings.

He said the unfortunate floods in Brazil following the protracted El Nino dry season served as good enough warning to the Government to get its act together.

“The Jagdeo/Ali regime ignored the warning signs.  The rains came. With the rains came the suffering of the mostly Indigenous population of Region #9. As we speak, roads continue to be washed away by torrential rains.  Bridges continue to be blown away by ferocious tides. The food shortage in the region will soon worsen. Diseases, water borne and others, become a frightening possibility. Citizens are hearing nothing of the Ministry of Health’s state of readiness in this regard,” Williams said. 

The Ministry of Public Works, in a statement, said that emergency restoration teams have been dispatched to the affected areas, but according to Williams, warnings signs were ignored.

“It is an open admission of the lack of preparedness, the ignoring of readily available warning signs, and the inability of the government to plan and execute maintenance programmes.  It is clear that this regime thrives off disasters.  Disasters permit them to spend state resources in a manner that bypasses scrutiny,” he said. 

Williams said communities in Regions Seven and Eight are also at risk of severe flooding, and the Government ought not wait for another disaster to strike before putting the requisite preventative and mitigation systems in place.  

Several parts of Linden and Region 10 were also flooded this week, with officials there calling for urgent relief measures.

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