Gov’t seeking $3.35b more for COVID fight
Following the end of the parliamentary recess, the Government has approached the National Assembly for over $26.5b in supplementary funding for a number of areas including $3.35b for the COVID-19 fight and $755m to battle flooding.
In financial paper No.3 of 2021 which was tabled in the House on Monday, the Government is seeking $5b in current estimates and $60.1m in capital estimates.
The sum will cater for the provision of one-off grants to severed sugar workers and out-ofcrop support to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), facilitate the payment of a cash grant for private school students. It also provides $60.1m for the procurement of eight containerized offices, construction of two entry bridges and gates at the Brickdam Annex as a result of the October 2nd fire that destroyed the historic Brickdam Police Station.
For the one-off grants to the severed sugar workers and outof-crop support to GuySuCo, the financial paper said that the Ministry of Agriculture is seeking an additional $3.8b, having already allocated $9.6b.
The financial paper further states that the Ministry of Education is seeking a supplementary sum of $285.1m for the payment of cash grants to private schools.
Of the sum, $31.5m in cash grants will be distributed to the Nursery level while $175.5m will be for the primary level. Another $77.9m is to be distributed among students from the secondary level. A sum of $3.7b was already allocated to the Ministry for this programme.
The financial paper further stated that apart from the $2.9b already allocated for security charges for several buildings across the ten administrative regions, the Ministry is seeking an additional sum of $561.9m. Questions will likely be raised in Parliament as to what has led to this.
Financial paper No.4 of 2021 was also laid in the House on Monday and the Government is requesting a total of $21.4b.
The Ministry of Health is seeking $3.35b for the provision of medical supplies for COVID19, medical gas for the COVID19 hospital, COVID-19 consumables and reagents. This year’s budget had already provided $3.8b for these items. More than 1,000 persons have thus far died from COVID.
The Ministry of Finance is seeking $4b for the clearance of arrears to the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL). There was no indication as to whose arrears to GPL are being cleared. The Ministry of Agriculture is requesting $755m for the purchase of urgent equipment needed for drainage and irrigation interventions countrywide.
On Saturday, President Irfaan Ali activated a Cabinet-level Task Force to coordinate the response to the current rainy season and potential flood impacts across the country.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips had subsequently reported that some 5,900 households were impacted and several communities across Guyana were flooded due to the usual amounts of rainfall.
The Ministry of Public Works is also seeking an additional $420m for the baggage handling system at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. This year’s budget contained a provision of $150m for this purpose.
Once approved, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development will receive an additional $16.6m of resources to facilitate the payment of mobilization advance on the City Hall restoration project.
Works on the restoration project commenced last month.
Fides Guyana Incorporated which has its parent company in Trinidad, in late September signed a $780m contract with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to carry out the rehabilitation works.
The financial papers also provide for additional inflows under the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan operation for the Sheriff Street-Mandela Avenue project, sea and river defence works in critical areas including the Essequibo Coast, Leguan, Mahaicony and Glasgow, payment of stipends to students of Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the installation of fire hydrants in housing schemes.