$26 B Supplementary Appropriation Bill passed

The government used its majority to pass a second Supplementary Appropriation Bill for some $26 Billion on Thursday. The government argued that the funds are needed to address “urgent interventions” across
several key sectors including Agriculture, Housing and Water, Health, Education, Public Works and
Security.

The Bill amounting comprised Financial Paper No 3 of 2021 totalling $5.1 billion catering for Contingency Fund advances covering the period July 22-December 9, 2021. This provided for a number of interventions, including payment of one off cash-grants to severed sugar workers, Out of Crop support to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) and cash-grants to private school students.

Financial Paper No. 4 sought funding for several initiatives including resources to support Amerindian Development projects and programmes, as well as funding for the rehabilitation of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) which was destroyed during a fire in November last.

That Bill includes funding to help clear arrears to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated and payment on the mobilization advance on the City Hall Restoration Project.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Finance said that the government will be using to funds to “boost” the security sector. This is said will ensure the rehabilitation and reconstruction of a number of Police Stations as well as make provisions for the Guyana Police Force to better tackle crime-fighting.

“For example, the Ruimveldt and Providence Police stations are currently under rehabilitation and provisions were made for eight containerized offices and construction of two bridges for the Brickdam Police Station which was recently ravaged by fire.”

It said too that security has been boosted in all Regions at all Government and Regional buildings, while
additional provisions were made for more fleets of vehicles for the Guyana Police Force to improve
response time to crime fighting and increase patrols in communities countrywide.

Allocations have also been made to acquire medical supplies to continuously address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as the government said other support measures to address the pandemic include continuous provision of medical supplies for health workers, increased oxygen and ventilators supply for the hospital at Liliendaal as well as
cleaning and sanitizing supplies for all Regions to combat the virus and its variants.

Among the other areas of support the Bill will provide funding to is the Education Sector which will see a cash grant for children attending private schools and Housing and Water where $7.7 billion will be used to support the
acceleration of the National Housing Drive.