Minister of Public Works Outlines Capital Works for Eleuthera in the 2011/2012 Budget

2011/2012 BUDGET CONTRIBUTION OF THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS & TRANSPORT

(Nassau, Bahamas) - Minister of Public Works and Transport, Neko Grant, made his contribution to the 2011/2012 Budget debate on Tuesday June 7th, 2011. The debate wrapped up on Thursday June 9th with Prime  Minister Hubert Ingraham making the final presentation.

With regard to Capital Works, Minister Grant on Tuesday, highlighted that this year’s budget provides $158,404,484 for capital development expenditure under Head 33 (Ministry of Public Works & Transport.) 

"Recurrent expenditure allocation totals $29,111,348 under Head 33 and $19,201,189 under Head 34 (Department of Public Works.)  This will enable us to continue to pursue infrastructure upgrades where necessary through the launch of new projects and completion of projects that are already in progress" he said.

The Minister went on to specify the activities for each island, as allocated.

For Eleuthera he said:

• Provision is made in the 2011/2012 budget for construction of a gymnasium at Central Eleuthera. 
  
• Funding has also been provided for repairs to the North Eleuthera Airport. 
  
• The reconstruction of Three Island Dock, North Eleuthera through a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) loan will also commence during the new fiscal year.  We expect to award this contract shortly. 
  
• The construction of the Current Island and Hatchet Bay Docks for which contracts were signed in March of this year will continue into the new budget year. 
  
• The planning stages of the proposed China Export Import Bank financed project for construction of the new Glass Window causeway and approach embankments are also expected to be further advanced.  

The minister also used the opportunity to emphasize that the 2010/2011 family island road works programme has resulted in the completion of paving of the Harbour Island, Current Island, North, South and Central Eleuthera roads.

It was in 2008, that then Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Desmond Bannister, stated to The Eleutheran that the government had planned to build Gynasiums in Eleuthera and Abaco. At that time it was expected that work on the Gym in Central Eleuthera would have started in 2009.