Over $285M in contracts inked for Annai-Lethem, Black Bush Polder roads

The Public Works Ministry on Tuesday signed several contracts for maintenance works on the Annai-Lethem Road in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), along with two lots of the Black Bush Polder main access road in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
The Annai-Lethem Road will be constructed to a tune of $89.9 million while the two lots for the Black Bush Polder main access road will be constructed to a tune of $195.5 million.
The 160-kilometre Annai-Lethem Road in Region Nine was awarded to JR Ranch Inc, while the Black Bush Polder main access, Mibicuri and Johana roads were awarded to SAWA Investments and CASCON Engineering, respectively, with the duration for completion of these contracts being three and seven months, respectively.

During a simple signing ceremony at the boardroom of the Public Works Ministry, Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar stated that a new building approach will be taken since the maintenance structure of the road previously is no longer sustainable.
“The contract for the maintenance of this particular stretch was a grade and shape arrangement. So, after you grade and you shape there’s nothing (left) to grade anymore, so you end up on the base of the road…that was not a sustainable way of doing that particular stretch of road.”
The Minister stated that some 39,000 cubic metres of laterite will be used to rebuild the subsurface of the road.
Indar also spoke on the Linden to Mabura section of the road, saying that the pre-qualification for the bidders is at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for no objection and by the end of this year they should be able to sign that contract.
Additionally, a committee led by the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine, Karl Singh, will be put in place to monitor the works being done.
The committee to monitor the works was decided on during a visit made to the region by President Dr Irfaan Ali, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and several other Cabinet members last Saturday, who met with members of the business community. These members highlighted that they would like to see a system in place that would allow for the monitoring of works that would have been contracted, not just for the Annai-Lethem Road, but also future contractual works to come.
This committee will comprise of a representative from the Public Works Ministry, a representative from the Mayor’s office in Lethem, and a representative from the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This team will be tasked with monitoring works done in the region.

Linking Guyana to Brazil
Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat in his remarks stated that there are three important sections of the road that will be linking Guyana to Brazil. These three sections are Linden-Mabura, Mabura-Annai, and Annai-Lethem.
The Minister shared that maintenance works for the Mabura-Annai stretch is being done by the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) through the Natural Resources Ministry.
“Our Government is pursuing a highway – continuation of a highway from the Linden-Mabura section. I think we are a far way ahead with that process and which may be concluded sometime soon and we may start work sometime next year,” Minister Bharrat stated.
“Early next year we will see that section of the road being converted into a highway. That is in keeping with our promise that we intend to link Guyana to Brazil so that it can boost economic activities not only along that corridor but between the two countries.”
The Minister noted that Brazil can be easily serviced by Guyana as long as there is proper infrastructure or a good road network.
Only in July, President Ali during the Summit of Heads of State of MERCOSUR (officially translated to mean Southern Common Market) through a virtual meeting spoke of cooperation on infrastructural projects between Guyana and Brazil, which included the Guyana to Brazil road link that is set to start construction next year.