With a massive chunk of the proposed $1.146 Trillion dollar budget earmarked for public infrastructure, dismissing it would mean refusing development. This was the angle taken by the Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill during his contribution to the debates being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Government has allocated $221.4 billion to the Ministry of Public Works in the 2024 budget with $204.1 billion being allocated to roads and bridges, $2.3 billion to air transport, $8.1 billion for river transport, and $6.9 billion for sea and river defence.
With the main parliamentary opposition doling out criticism about the budget being lopsided with massive infrastructural projects carded, Edghill noted that those on the opposite side of the House should stand up and say what projects should be red-penciled.
He said that if the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Members of Parliament (MPs) do not want the community roads programme to continue with its GY$70B allocation, they can stand up and tell the government and the people of the nation.
“If the APNU+AFC MPs don’t want similar canals like the Hope Canal that are being built in Regions Five and Six, then they can stand up now and tell us that they want those places to be flooded when there is heavy rainfall, and that they will provide those affected with the subsidy to keep them going when they cannot plant or rear animals,” Edghill said.
He added, “If you do not want us to spend the people’s money on navigational aids, if you do not want us to purchase new vessels, if you do not want us to maintain the existing Demerara Harbour Bridge while we are building the new river crossing-stand up and tell us now”.
The minister said the opposition, if it truly wants to see the upliftment citizens and the development of the country, can offer constructive criticisms on how these projects can be better, rather than creating a perception that they are not needed.