Edghill assures Canal residents of uninterrupted works to bridges

In an effort to speedily upgrade Canal Number One and Canal Number Two Polder bridges at Belle Vue West Bank Demerara (WBD), Public Works Minister Juan Edghill recently assured the public that the ongoing works will not be stalled and is set to be completed in six weeks’ time.

After objections were raised by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), to the MOPW as it relates to the water flow and how cleaning of the canals will be affected, the ministry is committed to creating new designs, so that the projects would progress smoothly.
Following changes made in design and operations, Edghill went on site to inspect and inquire information from contractors as to how the works are progressing.
“We don’t want to have these projects stalled again, because they are too important to give access to people. So, in another 6 weeks, all 3 bridges in Canal Number One, Canal Number Two and Belle Vue should be completed.”
Further unveiling the plans of a major programme that the ministry is set to roll out, Edghill stated that the small issues commonly faced pertaining to administrative and communicational issues cannot go on longer.
“I have said it in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) we’ve signed, if within two weeks a matter is not resolved, then it needs to be escalated to the level of the Minister, so the Ministers have to get out there and give the policy directions to get these projects completed,” he explained whilst delivering that they are moving to a phase where contractors wouldn’t be able to delay without consequences faced. According to him this ongoing excuse is one that they cannot be hearing anymore.
It was expressed that engineers at the ministry are being urged to complete the works and citizens are not aware of the volumes of work that they are doing but would rather highlight issues that people are complaining about.
“When we do not receive the support of other partners, we have to get on the ground and make decisions and that’s what we are doing,” he stated.