Major road projects slated for Black Bush Polder – Edghill

In 2022, the Public Works Ministry will be undertaking several major road projects, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has said. The announcement was made as he met residents of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturday.
During the visit to the region, Edghill inspected the current work being undertaken by the Ministry throughout the region.
As it relates to the Black Bush Polder, Edghill said three separate contracts were issued last year for road repair work in that community.
A contract for $28.9 million was issued to SAWA Investment Inc to repair 100 metres along the Mibicuri Main Access Road.  Another contract for $165 million was issued to Kiscon Engineering Services for the resurfacing of 1000 metres at Johanna and a third contact issued to RIM Construction Inc for $205 million to resurface 1500 metres of the main access road at Yakusari.
“In the 2022 budget that was just read, there are sums again so do work in Black Bush Polder. So, what was not addressed in 2021, the budget we will be able to allocate additional funds to address more sections in Black Bush Polder in the 2022 budget.”
He explained that one of the measures put in the 2022 budget, is to alleviate and remove the concerns that citizens have been having.
“We have decided that on trucks, any tonnage, we are going to remove the excise tax and the VAT from those trucks. This means that the man with the single axle truck and was packing it as if it is a hauler can now afford to buy a hauler and transport his cargo on it. When you put all of the weight on a single axle truck the tires and the axle can only take some of the weight and the rest goes on the road and that breaks up the road. So, sometimes when we are finished fixing the road a few days after it is broken again. So, while we are fixing the road and in proving quality, we also want to ensure long-term sustainability and long-term development,” Minister Edghill said.
He explained that with the lowering of the taxes, the acquisition cost for those vehicles will be reduced.
“So, you don’t have to buy a single axle truck to do the work of a double-axle truck or you don’t have to buy a double-axle truck to do the work of a hauler,” he revealed.
“I know that such vehicles can be acquired without a purchaser having to pay excise tax or VAT.”
He said transportation providers will now be able to invest in vehicles that have greater capacity at a lower cost. “And at the same time when we are moving, we are saving the road.” He explained that those in the agriculture, forestry and mining sectors are expected to benefit largely from the removal of those two taxes from certain classes of vehicles. “But at the same time, the sand truck man and the canter man or the person with the small truck. So, rather than putting all of the pressure on the road, we have more stable axle distribution on the roads and when we fix the roads, we will be able to save it,” Edghill told residents of Black Bush Polder during separate meetings in each of the polders on Saturday. (G4)