Govt readies for oil sector with Urban Development Master Plan

With Guyana on the cusp of transformation through the oil and gas industry, the government has taken steps to craft an Urban Development Master Plan.

The Plan will be the blueprint to guide the future development of the city for the next 15 to 20 years, as oil production booms.

At the official launch of an Inter-agency Task Force to undertake the crafting of the Master Plan, this morning, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan said the government recognises that the emergence of the oil and gas sector will surge the demand for public and private infrastructure, particularly in urban spaces.

Given the background of the emerging sector, Minister Bulkan noted the importance of the task force paying attention to critical areas of urban management, such as Waterfront and Sustainability, Water Resources Management and Solid Waste Management.

“Urban areas worldwide are experiencing severe environmental problems and climate change induced impact. Georgetown is one such example as is evident in the overcrowded roadways, unequal distribution of space, long traveling times on busy roads and increasing climate change vulnerability,” he pointed out.

All of the aforementioned, the Minister noted, negatively affect the attractiveness and productivity of the urban area and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe addressed the impact of oil and gas and the need for proactive infrastructural planning. He said Georgetown remains a place of heavy vehicular traffic and increasing congestion. It is therefore essential that the Master Plan takes effect.

According to him, the oil and gas sector is dynamic and is driven by global factors. It is also going through multiple phases including exploration, appraisal and development, production and decommissioning.

“At each phase of development, for example, there are a range of economic opportunities for local and regionally based suppliers, as well as the oil and gas companies including, for big finds as we have seen offshore Guyana,” Dr Bynoe said.

The task force brings together key public agencies and ministries including the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Ministry of Natural Resources, among others.

Source: DPI

Roundtable financial sessions for LDOs

Roundtable financial sessions for LDOs

Apr 29, 2019 Government, Ministry of Communities, News

─ govt aims to institute a standardised system of financial management across municipalities

DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 29, 2019

The Ministry of Communities, this morning, commenced a two-day training session on financial management for Local Democratic Organs (LDOs).

The session was opened at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan. Mayors, Town Clerks and Councilors from municipalities across the country gathered to participate in the workshop.

Linden Mayor Waneka Arindell said every municipality must take responsibility for the effective use of all financial resources.

“It is on this promise that I am overjoyed to see the ministry continued dedication to ensure the aspect of financial management is dealt with holistically.”

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan reminded officials that the Coalition Government has delivered on its promise of ensuring local democracy. He said public officials tasked with the management with public funds, cannot adopt an attitude of wastage.

“The law, therefore, imposes on public officials what is called a fiduciary duty, which is a legal obligation to act in the best interest in another, in your case, the ratepayers.”

The minister said the government aims to institute a standardised system of financial management across municipalities.

Alexis Rodney.

Images: Ameer Sattaur.

4,000 house lots to be available within next 18 months

- application process fair and transparent

─ govt has pumped over $5Billion in consolidating infrastructure on housing schemes inherited from the previous administration 

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan has disclosed that some 4,000 house lots should be available within the next eighteen months under a transparent and fair process.

He made this disclosure on Tuesday during an exclusive interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) while at the ‘Government comes to you’ outreach in Berbice.

The cost to develop a house lot is approximately $3M. With this in mind, he said the government is making it affordable for its citizens and has pumped over $5B in consolidating infrastructure on housing schemes inherited from the previous administration. Correcting errors made in the past has somewhat sidelined the government from aggressively developing new housing schemes.

“This is an issue that is now being addressed by the administration to see in 2019, how many more new house lots we can make available, and our target at this stage is to, within the next 18 months, have possibly in the vicinity of 4,000 new house lots,” Minister Bulkan stated.

He highlighted that that there is a huge backlog in the system inherited from the previous administration. Nevertheless, he said there is now a transparent process which is allowing more applicants to own their own homes.

“One of the things that we have tried to ensure exists is greater transparency in the process where as far as possible, there is a first come, first served basis and allegations and acquisitions of favouritism or improper adherence to the procedure, that those are minimised. So, we are trying to ensure that the system is more robust to ensure greater equity.”

Additionally, the government has held several housing expos, providing affordable housing for all. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has teamed up with some private developers including the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) to build 50 homes for low-income applicants at Prospect New Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

The houses, measuring 400 square feet each, include the necessary amenities and a small patio which stands on a plot of land measuring 40 feet x 80 feet. The prices range from $4M up to $9M.

Isaiah Braithwaite.

Image: Jules Gibson. | DPI

Ministry of Communities ‘Smart Stop’ project goes to Linden

A $2M Smart Stop project will soon be taking the town of Linden by storm, paving the way for similar projects in the other eight municipalities.

The Smart Stop project, a pilot of the Ministry of Communities’ Community Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CIIP) and will feature solar lighting, USB charging ports, free WiFi, advertisement and information spaces, protective guard rails and garbage receptacles.

The Smart Stop project, which will also be fully powered by solar energy, will convert the country’s current bus stops into safe, pleasant waiting areas with improved interactive information services and a sanitary dispensary among others.

Coordinator of Engineering Services at the Ministry of Communities’ Community Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CIIP), Naeem Khan said the ‘Smart Stop’ is not a regular bus stop. Among the objectives of the initiative is to assist persons who might have run out of internet data to get on with their business.

“They can stop there, send their messages using the free WIFI and then roll along. If your phone is almost out of life, you can have it recharged there.”

He said once the reception is good in the mining town, the project could be rolled out by any ministry, NDC or municipality

A feature of the Smart Stop will see an information slot which will inform tourists and community members of the location of important places. “Things like hospitals, schools, health centres and the location of the municipality office and street among others,” Khan explained.

Following the Linden project, Smart Stops will be installed in the Municipalities of Anna Regina, Corriverton, Bartica, Georgetown, Rose Hall, Lethem, New Amsterdam and Mabaruma.

Alexis Rodney.

Image: Giovanni Gajie. |DPI

Communities Ministry investing in new Towns, NDC’s

The Community Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CIIP) under the Ministry of Communities has this year identified new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and townships for extensive development…