$40M budgeted to re-equip, rebuild sections of DPP chambers

Jan 31, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Government will be spending some $40M out of the $63.5M budgeted for the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to reequip the office that was severely damaged by fire back in November 2022.

The figure was highlighted during the examination of the budget estimates for 2023 in the Committee of Supply in the National Assembly on Monday.

The sum was approved by a majority vote in the National Assembly.  Responding to enquiries in the National Assembly, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira gave a breakdown of the sum saying that over $40M of that money is for physical works to the property which was damaged by fire in 2021.

A section of the burnt-out building that house the DPP’s office

Teixeira said that monies are set aside for the replacement of equipment which was also damaged by the fire. These include web cameras, iPads, software, vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, routers, chairs, and cabinets among others. She added that there will also be the installation of grills, fire alarms, and smoke detectors, the construction of a perimeter fence, concrete drains, main bridge, and a modern security hut.

The fire, which started at the Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Eve Leary, Georgetown on November 20, 2021 had completely gutted that building, before destroying sections of the facility that accommodates the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).  Teixeira was at the time responding to questions by opposition Member of Parliament and Leader for the Alliance For Change (AFC) Party, Khemraj Ramjattan who had requested a disaggregation of the figure stated in the estimates.

• Director of Public Prosecutions, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gail Teixeira, Government, National Assembly