KSM Investments donates street lamps to Region 5 community

KSM Investments, a concrete manufacturing, import, and distribution company donated 50 street lamps to the De Hoop community of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) during a simple handing over ceremony on Friday.
The donation was received by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, from KSM Investments Inc CEO, Mahadeo Panchu. During brief remarks, Edghill thanked Panchu and his family for partnering with Government for development.
“I’m happy to be here this afternoon to participate in what could be described as a very good and meaningful gesture. All across Guyana when you travel, the three things that you hear that people want the most [are] roads, drainage, and street lights, everywhere. You could just finish building one road and the people who come for the opening of that road will tell you of the other one,” Edghill joked.
He added that when these issues or concerns are highlighted, it helps the Government in its response approach to the needs of the people in a particular location.
“As a Government, we are committed to doing the best we can do for the people of Guyana, that’s a commitment we have…we are committed to doing our best because our best might not mean doing everything that everybody wants all the time. Doing your best must be judged within a particular complex, for example, a priority of this Government in this time… building roads,” the Minister clarified.
The Minister also expressed his dissatisfaction with persons who are damaging road infrastructure across the country. “While we are building out, and we are improving, we got to minimise damage. And we almost have to bring an end to damage, through recklessness,” he stressed.
Edghill shared that throughout last year the Government, in a joint approach with the Public Works, Housing and Water, and Local Government Ministries, awarded contracts for the construction of a total of 1085 roads across Guyana.
In this year’s budget, Edghill stated, “Provisions are made for us to be able to conduct the studies, which is the first step, as it related to [the] execution of work for development. The studies for the improvement of the road from Mahaica all the way to Rosignol.”
Edghill also highlighted that even if the Government were to install lights in every community, the country’s electricity grid would be unable to provide the necessary amount of electricity needed to power those lights.
Following this comment, Edghill spoke about the importance of the Government’s gas-to-energy and Amaila Falls projects.
“This brings me into a very important subject of us understanding why the Government’s gas-to-energy project, why Amaila hydroelectric development programme is so important. Because in order for me to give every household electricity and then give every businessman, who has a commercial enterprise electricity, and then give every community lights on the road…, in the community grounds to play at night. We can’t do it with the size of grid we have. The reality is, while we are putting up lights, we have to also expand the grid,” Edghill remarked.
The Panchu family and KSM have pledged to maintain the lamps for the next two years, following which Government will take up the responsibility.