$8.8B in contracts sign for 287 roads in Berbice

…96% awarded to new contractors

The Public Works Ministry on Wednesday afternoon signed contracts totaling $8.8 Billion for road works in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Most of those who were awarded contracts on Wednesday are new contractors.
The contracts to build 287 concrete roads in Region Six have been awarded to 201 contracts.
Works Minister Juan Edghill speaking at the signing ceremony said of the 201 contractors, 192 are new contractors. This represents 95.5 percent.
He explained that giving new contractors jobs to do have both blessings and challenges.
The blessings are that more persons are being exposed and engaged Minister Edghill pointed out.
“No one is having a monopoly; small contractors are being given an opportunity to build capacity.”

This also allows for the government to do more things simultaneously.
“So rather than having fifteen well-established contractors executing sixty projects, we can now have 201 contractors; a mix of some of the seasoned contractors along with a lot of the new contractors being engaged, so there are blessings and challenges,” he explained.

All of the 287 roads will be built with concrete.
Minister Edghill addressed the issue of contractors’ cub-contracting their projects saying that those who would have signed contracts have an obligation to the government and the residents who are the beneficiaries.
Additionally, he said his Ministry has been receiving complaints and warned that his Ministry will not tolerate contractors digging up streets and leaving it in that state for months before returning to complete it.
“Let me make it very clear, if you gig up a road to start your work, you better keep working until it is completed. We are not going to tolerate this modus operandi anymore. Contractors who are supposed to be partners in development are making money while the government is losing political capital,” Edghill noted.
Since October 2020, in excess of 900 roads inclusive of the 287 have been rehabilitated and or upgraded in Region Six.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh pointed out that this would have realised the government spending $26.9B on roads in the region.
“I believe that the people of the beneficiary communities are already seeing the impact of these investments,” Dr Singh said while adding that he has had the privilege of going to communities and witnessing roads that previously were dams.
“Many of them never having been in receipt of the benefit of a finished surface- and I have gone back and seen how the construction of a road where previously there was a dam, the immeasurable difference this makes to communities,” he said.
The finance minister reminded that as a result of the responsible and prudent management of Guyana’s economy, the Government is able to fix more roads than ever before and to fix them more quickly.
“It takes careful management of the resources of the country to ensure that we are able to earmark resources at this level to be able to invest in infrastructure in the manner in which we are doing,” Dr. Singh emphasised.
He assured that the current Government is committed to continuing to work until every street is fixed in every village in Region Six and every area countrywide.
Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman, David Armagon pointed out that the regional administration will be playing an integral part in supervising the projects.
He pointed out that in every community in the region, some fore of developmental work is taking place explaining that is not only in road improvement works but also in the delivery of education and health care.
Most of the contracts that were signed on Wednesday have a four-month duration. However, Works Minister Edghill asked the contractors to complete their projects in time for Christmas. (G4)