Residents of Barabina, Region One (Barima/Waini), are now benefitting from a rehabilitated road in their community.
According to information reaching Guyana Times the road was in a deplorable condition for a long time and was rebuilt by the Public Infrastructure Ministry.
In keeping with government’s policy to facilitate greater connectivity between coastland and hinterland regions, the infrastructure ministry rebuilt the road.
Currently, government has embarked on habilitating hinterland roads.
The collapsed bridge in Port Kaituma
Currently villages, not only Barabina but also other surrounding areas are being flooded because of sinking dams in the region.
Approximately $3 million was spent on dam repairs in the region but as soon as the high tide came, those dams were overtopped and the place flooded.
According to information from the region’s Vice Chairman Sarah Browne, the $3 million allotted was not sufficient for the job that had to be done: “That was a waste of money; they have to now carry out work on the entire revetments that sunk.”
According to Browne, since the Public Infrastructure Ministry has refused to acknowledge the many letters sent to them and other ministries, the Regional Democratic Council is exploring other means at a regional level by which the dams can be rebuilt.
“In Barabina we are exploring to cut a new road through Khan’s Hill (nearby area in Barabina). It would be cheaper and the soil type can hold more, so we are looking to work something out that way” she disclosed.
According to the vice chairman, the RDC is at its wits end as there are not sufficient resources available in the budget for the works to be carried out.
“We do not have money in the RDC budget so we cannot really do anything. The Public Infrastructure Ministry is not responding to the many articles that are being published regarding our plight so I am now thinking that it is useless to write them. We have also sent dozens of letters to various ministries but nothing was ever acknowledged or replied to” she remarked.
She relayed that the dams were budgeted by the region but the money was not granted.
In the meanwhile, in Port Kaituma money was granted for roads to be rebuilt but was not granted for bridges to be redone.
Recently a bridge in the region collapsed and has not been fixed since.
According to Browne, the RDC is collaborating with the NDC for the bridge to be repaired, and calling on government “is useless”, she said.
A picture of the collapsed bridge surfaced on Facebook and frustrated residents were seen venting their frustration.
According to some of the comments, the residents are in fear that an intervention will only come after something horrible happens.
This publication made numerous attempts to get a response from the Public Infrastructure Ministry but was unsuccessful.
