$204B for roads, bridges necessary for advancement of oil economy

– Minister Indar defends Public Works’ budget

The $204 billion allocated for roads and bridges in this year’s budget has been declared necessary for the further advancement of the oil economy.
During day one of the 2024 National Budget Debates in the National Assembly, Opposition Parliamentarian Juretha Fernandes expressed that Guyana’s first trillion-dollar budget, which includes a substantial allocation for roads and bridges is helping to rack up Guyana’s debt.
In this regard, she called for the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government to invest a portion of the $204 billion into other sectors, which would allow Guyanese to better cope with the rising cost of living.
In response, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, pointed out that Government is capable of managing its expenditures well. In this regard, he noted that monies set aside for roads and bridges are necessary to position Guyana for future growth, which includes development of the oil and gas economy.
“204 billion for every community…will see development, and has seen development; because, like I said, my good friend and partner in the Ministry of Public Works, over 4000 community roads – all of them, all the highways and byways and bridges – we’re building…,” he disclosed.
“The 2024 Budget that was read out by the Honourable Dr Singh is a budget for every starter of live…it addresses all the problems we are facing in the various grouping of people, including building a country that when the foreigners come in by the thousands, they see that it’s the (number one) country; they see that the country is revving with economy activities,” Indar stated.
Apart from the $204 billion allocated for roads and bridges in this year’s budget, the Ministry of Public Works would also receive $2.3 billion for the advancement of air transport, $8.1 billion for river transport, and $6.9 billion for sea and river defence.

Air Transport
Some $2.3 billion would aid in rehabilitation and maintenance of several hinterland airstrips, including those at Imbaimadai, Kaieteur, Kaikan and Matthews Ridge. The move to increase allocations in this sector is aimed at continuing to provide an ease of access between coastal and hinterland regions.
During his 2024 Budget presentation on January 15, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh had disclosed that, last year, works were significantly advanced at Ekereku Bottom, Eteringbang, Karisparu, and Pariuma airstrips. He also noted that those airstrips are expected to be completed this year.

River Transport
Government has allocated $8.1 billion for improvement of river transport facilities. Dr. Singh has said that, as Government continues to support expansion of river transport and improvement of ferry services, the sum of $405 million has been budgeted for rehabilitation works to be done on the MV Malali, MV Makouria, and MV Barima. Notably, he had said that works on the ML Thompson, ML David P, Seamang and Splitbarge, and dry docking of the MV Sandaka were completed last year. Works were advanced on the Bartica, Goods Wharf, Kumaka, Morawhanna and Port Kaituma stellings in 2023. These projects are slated to be completed in 2024; and rehabilitation works on stellings, including those at Parika, Supenaam and Wakenaam, will be undertaken. The sum of $2.7 billion is allocated to execute those works.
Minister Singh noted that the tug that was procured by Government is slated to arrive this year, and it would enhance navigation services.
Works to construct and rehabilitate navigational aids within the Demerara River and Mora Passage have been advanced, and are slated to be completed in 2024. This year, $950 million has been allocated to further support navigational aid interventions.

Sea and River Defences
For sea and river defences, the sum of $6.9 billion is budgeted for enhancing the resilience of the country’s sea defence structures. Works will commence in areas including Bygeval, Cane Garden, Fairfield, Grove, La Resource, Springlands, Uitvlugt and Leguan and Wakenaam islands.
Last year, $5.4 billion was expended to upgrade the sea and river defences. Among the projects implemented in this regard are works that have been completed on the rip-rap sea defence structures across multiple sites, including at such areas as Abram Zuil, Anna Catherina, Belvedere, Better Hope, Eversham, Joppa, Speightland and Zeeburg.