Gov’t spending has empowered residents of Region Ten -MP

Saying that the administration has empowered the people in Region Ten to build sustainable communities, government parliamentarian Audwin Rutherford on Monday told the National Assembly that the $3.9 billion proposed for the region in 2019 will ensure that the good life there continues.

The sum proposed represents a 12% increase over the 2018 allocation.

In making his contribution on the opening day of the debate of the government’s 2019 National Budget, Rutherford said that testimony to the empowerment of the people in the region is the fact that for 2018, 31 projects, which account for 80% of the jobs available, were given to the village council and lone Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NCD) in Kwakwani. He said, too, that 90% of building materials for house building were purchased from businesses in Linden.

Rutherford told the House that while the $51 million allocated in 2019 budget for an agriculture programme is not adequate, “it is a commendable start.” Included in this amount is $22 million for the purchase of furniture and equipment, settling up of a shade house and the upgrading of the trail at Millie’s Hideout, where farmers are struggling to get access.

He expressed certainty that with the necessary infrastructure and human resources the programme will be a success.