Permanent Secretary in the Local Government Ministry, Mr. Phulander Kandhai yesterday told an end-of-year news conference held in the Ministry’s Boardroom in Kingston, Georgetown that “consistently since 1992, the Ministry has been able to achieve way above 95% of its work programmes”.

According to Kanhai, this represents “a very high degree of achievement” and very often it was achieved against many constraints and challenges.

He said the only exception in that period was in 2001 when the Ministry achieved about 92 percent in the completion of its work programmes, but pointed out that this was as a result of doing a whole year’s work in about six months time due to the lateness of the 2000 National Budget.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Harripersaud Nokta said he is very pleased so far with what the Ministry has achieved but at the same time indicated that he is not satisfied since more needs to be done.

“I am very pleased with what we have achieved but I am not satisfied because we still have quite a lot of work more to be done and we will continue this work based on budgetary allocations,” Nokta told reporters.

He noted that there were numerous achievements in the 10 administrative regions over the past year, referring to projects continued or embarked upon by his Ministry.

The Ministry of Local Government has purview over the 10 administrative regions and 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), six municipalities and a number of community development councils.

Kandhai also stressed the importance of a Solid Waste Disposal programme, for which the Ministry has been tasked.

He noted that the regulated disposal of Solid Waste has become one of the serious issues that straddles the length and breath of our country. In this regard, he disclosed that the Ministry, in collaboration with various agencies including the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has embarked on a solid waste disposal programme which would bring some relief to the Mandela waste disposal site. He said the Mandela site would be “closed-down” in a structured way while a multi-million-dollar, state of the art, permanent waste disposal facility would be constructed at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

In addition to the Eccles site, Kandhai said three pilot sites would be constructed in some collective NDC’s, mainly - Windsor Forest, Lusignan and Rosignol.

“Over the past 10 years the regions have been achieving tremendous successes in its work programme and while we record our successes, we want to say that there are still many problems in the various regions pertaining to health, education, transportation and social services and so forth…(and) we will endeavour to continue to implement our programmes which will be based on budgetary allocations,” Minister Nokta told reporters.

He noted that himself, and other officials of his Ministry, would continue to go into all the regions and have discussions with the people at the grass-root level, listen to them and assess their problems in a committed effort to alleviate them.

“This Ministry and the administration clearly will continue to give assistance to the various Regions, NDC’s and CDC’s to further fulfill its mandate with the people,” Nokta added.

“I must mention that the successes achieved so far are based on few significant (things) including the fact that the Ministry encourages and foster teamwork at all levels at the ministry, at the level of the staff and heads of departments and teamwork with the regional administration and their staff…,” Nokta asserted.

He assured that constant visits to the regions and monitoring of the Ministry’s work programmes “have contributed positively in our fulfilling our programmes”.

Some of the projects embarked upon this year, and most of which were completed by the Ministry in Regions One, Two and Three include:

** Region One (Barima/Waini) - the completion of San Jose Bridge at Moruca and Foot Bridge at Kumaka; the construction of a Health Hut at Big Creek and Laboratory and X-Ray facilities at Port Kaituma and Matthew’s Ridge; rehabilitation of Guest House at Port Kaituma and construction of Boat House at Moruca; completion of sanitary facilities at Waramuri, Black Water and Assakata Primary Schools and Pakera and Bumbury Nursery Schools; construction of sanitary facilities at Barabina, Matthew’s Ridge, St. Cyprian’s and Anthony’s schools; extension of Walaba and Eclipse Falls Primary School; and construction of teacher’s quarters at Moruca Hostel, Yarakita, Warapoka and Santa Cruz.

The Ministry also completed the Kwebanna/Kumaka Water Front roads and other roads in Region One. In terms of agricultural development, the Ministry constructed a revetment at Barabina and Barima; rehabilitate the wharf at Port Kaituma waterfront; provide extension services at Santa Rosa/Moruca and Port Kaituma; and extended and upgraded the Nursery at Hosororo. The Ministry also purchased a number of furniture and office equipment for various areas in the Region.

** Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) - rehabilitation of First Bridge at Lima Scheme; construction of Affiance School bridge and Caricom Rice Mill Bridge at Anna Regina; construction of health posts at Mora and Columbia; extension of health posts at Aurora and St. Monica; completion of health posts at Friendship; rehabilitation of Suddie and Oscar Joseph Hospitals; payment of retention fees; completion of Wakapoa dormitory; rehabilitation of secondary schools and construction and extension of nursery schools in the region; rehabilitation of several roads and the upgrading of streets in the Henrietta, La Belle Alliance, Suddie, Anna Regina and Danielstown Housing Schemes.

** Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) - the Ministry constructed bridges at Goed Intent, Leonora, Zeelugt and Leguan; Extended the Physiotherapy Department and constructed a toilet block at the West Demerara Regional Hospital; damming of creeks at Hogg Island; rehabilitation of Kamuni Potosi Canal; expansion of 4-line koker gate at Canal No. 1.

Numerous developmental projects were also completed in the other regions.