$4.5B invested to develop first phase of Enmore/Foulis Industrial Zone

…project about 60% completed

The Guyana Government is investing a whopping $4.58 billion to develop the first phase of the Enmore/Foulis Industrial and Commercial Zone on the East Coast of Demerara, and infrastructural works are progressing smoothly.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, accompanied by technical staff from the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Projects Department and Surveys Unit, inspected the development on Thursday.

“In the first phase, we are currently developing over 660 acres of land on this site now, and we’re spending about over $4.58 billion in the first phase infrastructure,” Minister Croal revealed.
Outlining the zoning plan for the area, which specifies sections dedicated to heavy industrial, light industrial, and commercial activities, Minister Croal said the anticipated economic activities would generate thousands of employment opportunities, benefitting not only Enmore/Foulis, but other communities along the East Coast Demerara corridor.
Development of the area aligns with President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s commitment during his visit to Enmore last year. Ongoing infrastructural works are divided into six lots, and involve land clearing; the construction of approximately 18.91 kilometres of first phase access roads; and reinforced concrete composite bridges.
The industrial and commercial hub is set to feature three main access roads to accommodate large trucks. Of the six lots, the Minister said, two lots are over 90 percent completed, while the overall project is about 60 percent complete. Minister Croal has also said that works have significantly transformed the area, which was once dominated by sugar canes.
Meanwhile, in the Enmore residential housing scheme, located north of the commercial area, Croal noted that several allottees have gained access to their land for home construction, paralleling the progress of infrastructural works.
Prior to visiting Enmore-Foulis, Croal also briefly inspected the Non Pareil Housing Development. Looking ahead to the 2024 housing programme, Croal expects contracts to be awarded soon, ushering in the development of numerous housing schemes.
Once completed, the Enmore/Foulis Industrial Zone would accommodate both light and heavy industrial and commercial activities.
As far back as in 2021, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government had been making it clear that there are major plans to convert the Enmore Sugar Estate, closed under the former Administration of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), into an employment hub for the ECD.
The Private Sector has also come on board this venture, with an agreement signed with majority Guyanese-owned joint venture company Guysons K+B (GKB) Industries Inc seeing that entity acquiring 55 acres of land in Enmore to establish a fabrication facility offering services to the oil and gas industry.
The services to be offered would include tubular goods, premium threading and accessory services, as well as turnkey manufacturing solutions. Over 500 job opportunities are expected to be created over the next five years with the coming on stream of this US$35 million investment. (G12)