Region Four’s $7.2B budget approved
Following three hours of examination, the Committee of Supply yesterday approved the $7.2 billion budget for Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica).
The Regional Administration, led by Chairperson Genevieve Allen and Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas, is set to use the approved sum for execution of five programmes: Regional Administration, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Education Delivery and Health Services.
Though the sums were passed unopposed, the consideration of the estimates was at times fraught with conflict as members of the opposition benches grilled Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan on the planned expenditure.
During questioning, Bulkan indicated that as part of the Region’s Public Infrastructure programme, bridges will be constructed at Ann’s Grove and Buxton at a cost of $11.25 million and $6 million, respectively.
The minister’s revelation that the Ann’s Grove bridge would be constructed of heavy- duty concrete while the bridge in Buxton would be a timber footpath caused opposition member Dharamkumar Seeraj to question the “discrepancy” in pricing.
Bulkan, in turn, found his wording objectionable, while stressing that there was no “discrepancy” before committing to present the House with copies of the various project details.
Eventually, the $258 million Public Infrastructure Budget for the region was passed unopposed.
Numerous questions were also raised about an increase in allocations for the payment of sweeper cleaners and caretakers as part of the $4.8 billion Education Delivery programme. The House had been informed that the $110 million budgeted in 2018 was by way of a supplementary budget increased to $189 million and it has again been increased to $200 million in the 2019 budget.
Opposition Parliamentarian Joseph Hamilton, with support from Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, questioned why no other region reflected such large increases in that line item.
Hamilton requested specifics about the spending for sweeper/cleaners and caretakers and directed that the Minister indicate if any other salary or activity was financed from the line item.
Bulkan objected to being questioned on 2018 expenditures, while maintaining that the House was considering 2019 allocations. He added that some schools will be having more sweeper/cleaners
“The Minister continues to suggest that we cannot question 2018 expenditures and that needs to be clarified once and for all. The Minister cannot come here increase a budgetary allocation by nearly 100% then suggest that I shouldn’t ask him the question,” an incensed Hamilton told the House.
Bulkan retorted by noting that the increased 2018 allocation was extensively discussed during the debate of the supplementary estimates.
‘If the Honourable member was not in the House…he has access to the Hansard,” he stressed in the face of vocal objections from the opposition benches.
Over the next five minutes, the question was repeated in various forms by Hamilton and Teixeira, with a frustrated Hamilton exclaiming at one point, “What is happening here today?”
“How much of the $189 million went to pay sweeper/cleaners? How much went to pay caretakers and finally how much if any went to other activities…I need the answer,” Hamilton asked again.
“Mr Speaker, we are not here on an audit exercise. That is the function of the Auditor General’s report,” Bulkan said before the line of questioning was closed.