CESTOS, River Cess – For nearly six years now, River Cess has not been able to access its County Development Funds.

There were accountability issues with past administrations and the county’s legislative caucus, in response, put a moratorium on the county funds.

Because of this, the county has not seen any development effort related to its county development funds as all government projects in the county are at the standstill.

Recently, the chairman of the Project Management Committee, Elijah Kaysaynee, told The Bush Chicken that the government has placed US$380,000 of the US$ 1.9M owed to the county in the county’s account.

In a phone interview Jan. 11, the PMC chair noted that there was a series of meetings held with the Ministers of Finance and Development Planning and Internal Affairs.

Kaysaynee did not say when the remainder of the money would be paid to the county, but noted, “Only unity and togetherness can make us get the balance money.”

“If we must get the balance money, we have to unite ourselves as one people of this county and stop shifting blame on one another,” Kaysaynee said. “If we did not work as a team, River Cess would not have gotten the money.”

In December 2016, the county council sitting was held in Cestos and projects totaling US$1,145,000 were identified to be implemented during that fiscal year, but they did not happen as the county struggled to access the money.

Kaysaynee did not say which projects will be prioritized since the money is not enough to cover all of the projects enumerated in the last county sitting, but said, “Plans are under way for a leadership meeting to decide how the money will be used.”

Featured photo by Eric Opa Doue