‘Use resources strategically’ – PM

MPs cautioned as gov’t approves $22m disbursement to each constituency for mitigation and clean-up programme

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has urged members of parliament to make the best use of funds allocated to them to undertake the annual mitigation and clean-up programmes in their constituencies.

On Tuesday, the prime minister announced that Government has approved the disbursement of $22 million to each of the 63 constituencies for the programmes.

This is in response to the effects of Tropical Storm Rafael and the heavy rains during the preceding three weeks and subsequent to the weather system’s passage.

Dr Holness, who made the disclosure during a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said:

“Though this programme is being implemented just before the Yuletide season, let me emphasise that it is not a Christmas work programme. This is a routine initiative, including strict oversight, ensuring funds are utilised efficiently for road clearance, drain cleaning, garbage collection and sanitation. It addresses specific priorities, including reopening blocked roads, drain cleaning, road repairs, and constructing retaining walls and other structures, as necessary,” he said.

Headlines Delivered to Your Inbox

Sign up for The Gleaner’s morning and evening newsletters.

The $22 million allocation per constituency is as follows: $10 million for road rehabilitation, with flexibility to reallocate up to $5 million from other categories if needed, allowing for a maximum utilisation of $15 million for road repairs.

“So members of parliament (MPs) have a certain pool allocated to their constituency. To be clear, the reason why we do this is to allow for greater impact at the community level. It is to give the MPs the ability to respond to local pressures.

“Fifteen million dollars, let me be clear, that cannot fix an entire road. It maybe will give you, at most, two kilometres if you’re just doing a simple overlay, maybe three if you’re doing it in sections. But that can’t repair an entire road. So, the member of parliament has to use it to respond where issues may arise,” the prime minister said.

Additionally, $6 million has been allocated for debushing, with a minimum provision of $3 million, but with a potential for $3 million reallocation from other categories, making a maximum of $9 million, if necessary.

Also, $3 million has been allocated for garbage collection, given the need to address dengue prevention. A maximum of $2 million may be reallocated to other areas.

“So I say to members of parliament, that you should use these resources strategically to ensure that areas where mosquitoes could breed, particularly where you have old refrigerators, tyres and so forth, you do a clean-up to keep that vector under control,” Dr Holness stated.

“The average allocation is $3 million, but we have allowed you the flexibility, if you don’t need it in your area, to reallocate a maximum of $2 million away from the garbage collection. So you could take $2 million from garbage [collection] and put it elsewhere on bushing or wherever else; but the minimum expenditure should be a million dollars in terms of removing bulky waste,” he added.

The Government has also allocated $3 million for drain cleaning, with a maximum of $2 million that may be reallocated to other areas.

Dr Holness noted that drain cleaning is actually a municipal responsibility, with the local authorities charged to ensure that those outlets along roads are cleared.

“You won’t be able to clean every drain. But certainly those where you identify a flooding risk, where flooding would affect several houses on a road, you want to make sure that those drains are cleared,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister advised that the programme will be implemented by the National Works Agency (NWA) and National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), with funds allocated directly to necessary works, ensuring no deductions for agency fees.

Dr Holness said further advisories will be issued to MPs to provide guidance on how the programme is operationalised.

“I’m encouraging all members of parliament to urgently put their programmes together, bearing in mind all the procedures that have to be followed. I’m also saying that the work should be done on roads and other infrastructure in a manner that shows a visible impact,” he underscored.

JIS