New building on radar for Natural Resources Ministry as budget allocation approved
The 2017 budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Natural Resources have been approved, allowing for, among other things, the procurement and outfitting of a building for the newly established Petroleum Division.
Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman in his presentation to the Supply Committee of the National Assembly announced that of the $178.963 million budgeted for the purchase of furniture and equipment, sums will also be used to rent and outfit a building to house the projected 14 staffers of the newly established Petroleum Division.
In addition to this, money will also be spent on the construction of a new building to facilitate the ministry’s expansion and the procurement of buoys for oil spill detection, oil spill floating detection, vault, radio systems, and water dispenser, among other items.
He said the ministry had attempted to occupy another building, but it was deemed unsafe and unfit for occupation, prompting the need for a new building.
In response to questions posed by Opposition Parliamentarian, Odinga Lubumba about the funding for the procurement of a new building, Trotman said money will be set aside pending the construction of the building.
Trotman further contended that not all of the money will be collected at once, but rather, requests will be made to the Ministry of Finance for the funds as necessary.
“We are not going to receive all the money up front; we are going to spend it as the need arises,” Trotman said.
The minister also commented on the allocations made for training and
the provision of scholarships, after Lubumba asked if the budgetary allocations were enough for this area, considering the “expansion of gold and diamond, as well as, the projections of oil and gas”.
To this end, Trotman agreed that though the sum was not adequate, it was what was being provided, and it will go a long way with the supplementary of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
Meanwhile, $70 million have been approved for the purchase of vehicles and motorcycles, inclusive of pickups, a four-wheel drive vehicle, ATVS and motorcycles for the petroleum and compliance divisions
Additionally, $50 million have been approved for the Forest Carbon Partnership Project, $30 million of which has been allocated for functioning of the REDD secretariat, and institutional support and capacity building for the National Toshaos Council (NTC).
The sum of $16.4 million had been approved for the establishment of the National Grievance Redress Mechanism, while approval was given to the allocated sum of $3.6 million for the communication and outreach action plan development and participatory mechanisms to be put in place.