…as $6B budgeted for MOTP approved by Parliament
The National Assembly this morning began its consideration of the 2017 estimates and expenditures, by examining, querying and ultimately approving, the programmes budgeted for the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP).
Citizenship and Immigration Services which comes under the budgeted allocations for the Ministry of Presidency received an allocation of $625 million, out of which, $ 50 million will be utilized for the construction of two permanent passport offices, one in Linden (Region 10) and the other in New Amsterdam (Region 6).
Citizenship Minister, Winston Felix, defended the allocations after questions were posed by Clement Rohee, Member of Parliament for the Opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).
Felix noted that the establishment of these two passport buildings is in keeping with Government’s vision of decentralizing these services.
According to Felix, the buildings to be constructed will provide adequate space for both the public and the staff. He further clarified that on the onset, as is customary, the two offices will be staffed by the members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), while noting that the staff would eventually transition to civilians.
The contracts for the two buildings are still to be tendered, the Minister said.
A sum total of $6.004 Billion was approved by the House, as the 2017 spending for the MOTP. The monies covered the following programmes:
Policy Development and Administration (including providing strategic direction for national development)-$2.791 billion;
Defence and National Security (to support state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity) $346.597 million;
Public Service Management (through the provision of professional personnel, training and consultancy service)-$1.245 billion;
Citizenship and Immigration Service (including strategies to cover births, deaths and marriages; issuance of work permits; granting of citizenship)-$625.226 million;
Social Cohesion (to support programmes that seeks to foster social integration and improvements in socio-economic, cultural and spiritual wellbeing)-$90.129 million;
Environmental Management and Compliances (including programmes to spearhead the preservation of the natural environment)-$905.870 million.
