Gov’t to implement cost cutting measures in 2017

Government intends to embark upon several cost-cutting and investment programmes in 2017.
In his New year’s address to the nation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne outlined a number of initiatives, which, he said government will launch to further bolster the country’s “fast growing economy”.
“Our government will reduce operational costs in rental of offices and electricity,” Browne said.
According to the prime minister, the unfinished car park will be converted into an office complex to be occupied by government offices instead of paying rent.
“Together with the State Insurance and Department of Marine Services buildings, occupation of these three facilities will reduce government rental costs by about $10 million by 2018,” he said.
Also, in early in 2017, government, according to Browne, will execute a US $15 million concessional loan from the UAE, for a renewable energy programme utilising both wind and solar resources.
“This will take government offices and state- owned enterprises off the APUA grid and will help to bring a halt to the mounting accounts payable bill for the public sector,” the prime minister added.
On the investment side, Browne said his government is working to end water shortage problems by installing a third reverse osmosis plant by the end of 2017.
“We are moving to give the country the fastest and most affordable bandwidth to expand and improve telecommunications for business and social use,” adding, “Tens of millions of dollars have already been invested in this undertaking.”
Admitting that his ABLP government has not been able to move as speedily as it would have liked to improve roads, curbs and drains, the prime minister declared that “from 2017, these areas will be tackled”.
He said several main arteries will be rebuilt from a grant of approximately $50 million and a similar amount will be spent to improve community roads.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)