Over $300M for infrastructural works in Region 10 – Edghill

…additional $30M for Linden Waterfront Development Project

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has indicated that significant allocation has been budgeted and will be expended for infrastructural development works within Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).
He made the announcement during a recent visit to Linden for commissioning of the rehabilitated Washer Pond Road, and stated that $300 million will be expended for new infrastructural development works, while $30 million will go to the Linden Waterfront Development Project.

The Minister also updated officials on other developmental plans.
“Currently, we have a situation where the Linden- Soesdyke Highway is a point of interest…We have awarded a contract, and a sum of about $150M is being expended for the upgrade of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, to ensure citizens, residents of Region 10 as well as businesses and others travelling through to Regions 9, 7 and 8, that traverse through this township could get to Linden and onto their final destination also in a safe manner,” the Minister said.

Interlinked
He noted that Government is also committed to ensuring the construction of an asphalted, concrete all-weather road from Linden to Lethem, and will, in the last quarter of this year, be signing the contract for the first 125 kilometres of the road, which will be from Linden to Mabura Hill.
This, the Minister said, will cost about US$190M; and, as announced last week, the project is being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Caribbean Infrastructural Fund.
He said focus is also being placed on continuing connectivity in Region 10 with the road from Orealla to Kwakwani, which is being done with support from the Natural Resources Ministry and funding from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
“The intent…is that with that road, aggregates – the whole quarrying industry – trucks will be able to bring aggregates from the quarry for construction and for infrastructural development into Region 10 and other areas…and ultimately getting into the market for our entire road construction”, the Minister said.
He said that for this year, along with what was done last year, works are continuing under the Miscellaneous and Urban Road Programmes.
“In 2021, we’ll be spending about $20M; the contract has just been awarded for the rehabilitation and construction of Third Corner, East Amelia’s Ward, Linden under the Urban Road Programme.”
Under the Ministry’s Urban Road Programme, he said, about $17M will be spent for the rehabilitation of a road at Half Mile, Linden; $12M on a road leading to the One Mile Primary School, and $16M for the rehabilitation of the “Side Road” at One Mile Primary.
He further stated that the Miscellaneous Road Programme will see the rehabilitation of the Kwakwani Road network, as he pointed out that internal roads in the community are in a “bad state”. These will benefit from rehabilitation at a cost of $11.5M.
He said that apart from roads, emphasis will be placed on waterfront development, and observation and assessment of the usage of facilities will soon be carried out to determine at which area $30M will be spent.
“Be assured, every cent of the $30M will be expended this year in bringing improvement to the waterfront development, but at a spot and in a manner that will give maximum benefit to the people,” the Minister said.

River defenses
In relation to river defenses, the Minister said he is saddened that residents of Speightland are still suffering despite a contract being awarded for the completion of a major defense project. He said that the first contract was terminated and awarded to a new contractor, since it was clear that the previous contractor lacked the capacity and resources to complete the job.
This, he noted, will be in a matter of weeks. He added that the Ministry has been seeking to build capacity in local communities, while urging contractors within the Region to bid for jobs and to employ people from within the communities. He noted that if a contractor from outside the Region wins a contract, then a significant percentage of the work force must come from outside of the region.
Further, he urged young people to take advantage of training offered by the Board of Industrial Training through the Linden Technical Institute, and asked that the Linden Mayor and Regional Chairman assist in the development agenda.
“We want the town to look good. We want all the people of Linden to be happy…but development comes in phases, and we ask for your understanding. Let us continue to prioritise…”, he urged.
During his visit to the region, Edghill also inspected the Block 22 and Wisroc main access road, which is currently in a deplorable state.