Deadlines under review as Minister inspects major Georgetown Road Projects

Several major road and access projects across Georgetown are targeted for completion by January 2026, as the Public Works Juan Edghill intensifies site visits and reviews progress amid challenges, including missed deadlines and weather-related setbacks. Following an early-morning engagement at the Public Works Ministry, Edghill spent the morning and part of the afternoon inspecting several ongoing main access road projects across the Georgetown area. The projects reviewed included works along Aubrey Barker Road, E-Field Sophia, the expansion of the East Bank corridor to four lanes, B-Field, and Dennis Street, including the construction of a new bridge to facilitate road widening, among others. The Minister emphasised that these projects are critical to improving accessibility and easing traffic congestion within Georgetown. According to the Minister, a major priority for his Ministry is identifying challenges affecting each project and implementing practical solutions to ensure timely and effective completion.
“The last reason why I am spending the time here in Georgetown is that Budget 2026 is approaching. New works will be coming on stream with Budget 2026, so projects from 2024 and 2025 that have been rolled over must be completed, closed out and handed over. That allows us to focus on managing and executing new projects in 2026,” the he said. Despite ongoing difficulties, including adverse weather conditions, the Minister stressed that engineers and Project Managers must work closely with contractors to find solutions, meet deadlines and keep residents informed. He noted that many public complaints arise when communities are not adequately briefed on ongoing works. The Minister added that during his visits, he engaged directly with residents, listened to their concerns and explained the scope and progress of the projects. “I visited some of these sites four times, twice each day on Monday and Thursday. This morning when I arrived, the area was a swamp and pumping had to restart. These are real challenges. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of engineers and Project Managers to find solutions, work with contractors to keep deadlines and at the same time keep residents informed,” he said. Most of the projects inspected are scheduled for completion by January 2026, the Minister noted. Rebar works are expected to continue until the end of January to facilitate completion. However, he acknowledged that some deadlines, including those for Princess Street, have already elapsed. He explained that the Special Projects Unit has assumed responsibility for one section of the works, while assessments continue to determine progress and challenges affecting the remaining section. According to the Minister, the focus remains on delivery and ensuring residents receive the infrastructure improvements they deserve. “Most of these projects that I visited have a January 2026 deadline. Rebar works will continue until the end of January to complete them. If anyone believes the deadline is July 2026, the Princess Street deadlines are already gone. The Special Projects Unit has taken over one section and we must assess what is happening with the other. The focus is delivery and ensuring people get what they deserve,” he said. Meanwhile, the Minister said the recent site visits were also conducted to address two key concerns affecting the execution of public infrastructure projects. First, the visits were intended to verify whether reports received at the Ministry accurately reflect conditions on the ground. He stressed the need to move beyond office-based decision-making, noting that on-site assessments are critical to identifying problems and implementing solutions. Secondly, the Minister raised concerns about poor work ethic at the start of the year, particularly delays caused by extended breaks following the Christmas period. He noted that while January 10 marked a return to full operations, work on many projects traditionally does not resume in earnest until February. He said he reported for duty on January 2 and issued instructions for engineers, clerical staff and contractors nationwide to return to work. The site visits, he explained, were also aimed at ensuring that contractors had resumed operations and that projects were progressing as scheduled.