Regional Executive Officer of Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) Shafdar Alli is refuting recent statements made by Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette that only 46% of the region’s work programme has so far been completed for the year.

Corlette reportedly made this statement during an interview with the Evening News which was broadcast last Thursday.

In a press release issued on behalf of the Region Four Administration, Alli said the chairman’s comments are “riddled with inaccurate and misleading information” which could only be interpreted as mischievous. According to the release, the regional chairman’s assumption is based on the Fiscal report (IFMAS Report) and not the physical work programme.

The release said that the regional’ administration has completed 70% of its physical capital works and 80 percent of the scheduled works in its 2009 work programme.

According to the statement, to date the region has expended approximately 68% of its capital appropriation. An additional $57 million was made available by the Ministry of Finance’s Road Maintenance Programme and an additional $8 million was allocated by the Education Ministry for the completion of the Practical Instruction Centre at Buxton.

The region has expended approximately 78% of its appropriation, of which 51% is for unemployment costs alone. “The remaining 27 percentage is for day to day expenditure and maintenance of the administration for the remainder of the year,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the release said that “the regional chairman should have reported on the physical work programme, since there is a monthly update of the work programme through the Regional Works Committee and the fiscal report (IFMAS) which changes daily.”

The release also said that “whilst it is important for the office of the RDC to monitor the region’s work programme, the manner in which the regional chairman’s office seeks to finger the office of the regional executive officer leaves much to be desired.”