Region 10 is in line to receive a budgetary allocation of $7.163B, approximately $1B more than it received in 2023, but according to Regional officials, when the sum is disaggregated, the region will receive less than a billion dollars for the execution of capital projects with many critical projects being excluded from the Budget. 

According to the Budget Estimates, Region 10 will receive an allocation of $865.3M for the execution of capital projects, which is $30M more than it received in 2023. 

During a virtual press conference today, Region 10 Regional Chairman, Deron Adams told reporters that the budgeted sum is inadequate, as he registered his disappointment in the Government’s repeated failure to meet the needs of the residents of Region 10. 

It was pointed out that of $865.3M budgeted for capital works, only $79M has been set aside for roads. Adams said the sum indicates that the many roads in the Region that are currently in deplorable condition will not be rebuilt and the situation would only deteriorate due to poor drainage.

“Living in the hilly sand and clay Region as we do, residents of Region 10 also have a special appreciation for the importance of drainage systems to guide runoff in an appropriate manner, since the penalty for ignoring this important developmental input is severe erosion that could destroy homes and businesses in a very short time.  Our declared policy of budgeting for drains before, or in consonance with roads, continues to be ignored by the government, with 2024 only seeing the provision of $39 million for drainage work, rather than the over $300 million in essential drainage work we had identified and requested,” the Regional Chairman added. 

Adams bemoaned the lack of appropriate and sufficient finances for the Education, Health and Agriculture Sectors in Region 10, saying that it is clear that the budget is not people centred. He said incomplete Government projects have not escaped the attention of the people of the Region. 

As he did in 2023, Adams complained bitterly about the lack of funding for the construction of a new building for the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). The project was initiated under the APNU+AFC Administration but was never advanced by the PPP/C Government. He said the Region’s staff members are now left to work under harsh conditions, putting their life and health at risk.

“Regardless of political affiliation, our staff are forced to work in a building that has been deemed a fire hazard by the Guyana Fire Service.  That is a fact.  Some sections of this building are crumbling and are so dangerous that it is only by avoiding going into some spaces that accidents are avoided.  That is a fact.   Our employees also occupy a building that poses serious risks to their health, with human faeces from the septic system backing up ever-so often into their office spaces,” the Regional Chairman said as he painted a picture of the situation. 

The Regional Vice Chairman, Mark Goring, who holds responsibility for Sub-Region 2, which includes Kwakwani and other riverain communities, said Government’s refusal to provide funding for the construction of living quarters for the Agriculture Extension Officers at Wiruni will negatively impact the farmers’ ability to receive much needed agricultural services in the sub-district.

“The RDC has pushed hard for this project to be executed since there is a clear call from the farming communities along the Berbice River for the services of these officers.  I am sure that our residents along the Berbice River will be very disappointed to note that this project has been denied, but we will continue to represent these development inputs for them. Similarly, the Council had proposed several roads for inclusion in our capital programme which again were denied in Budget 2024.  Jamoon Lane, Chiney Lane, Third Phase Road, Old Market Street, Jonestown Road and Pottsville Road remain without funding in the RDC’s budget even after your Council made representation for same,” Goring told reporters. 

Meanwhile, MP Devin Sears told reporters that while Budget 2024 is not all bad, its short comings could have been remedied through wider consultation, participation and involvement which compares real-time data and projections through careful planning.

He said while Guyana has become a global powerhouse economically due to the emerging oil and gas sector, such enormous wealth is plagued by mismanagement, inequitable distribution of resources, under paid public servants, minimal disposable income, high cost of living, growing inflation and corrupted practices.

He said it is clear that the PPP/C Government does not have a clear strategy to effectively address the issues facing the country – resulting in a very worrying situation. 

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