Port Kaituma-Matthews Ridge road to be completed this month

Rehabilitation works on the main corridors and internal roads in Region One (Barima-Waini) are moving apace.
Works on the Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge road, which commenced in May this year, are approximately 90 per cent completed.
Hinterland Engineer at the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Jeffrey Walcott said the works in Port Kaituma were being conducted in phases and the next scheduled stage – which would commence in 2018 – would see the continuation from Matthews Ridge to Baramita. “So there would be entire improvement in the community.”

In April, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during a post-Cabinet briefing, announced that a contract in the sum of $334.2 million was awarded to International Imports and Supplies, for rehabilitation of roads from Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge, Phase Two.
Project Foreman Eddy Suwarno explained that rehabilitation works have started from 34 kilometres of Port Kaituma’s road to Matthews Ridge and despite the weather constraints, the road would be completed in November.
According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Suwarno explained that in cases of emergency, Government officials had previously travelled by plane from Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge, as a result of the impassable state of the road. He also disclosed that the company was forced to conduct additional work outside of the contract to mobilise its equipment in order to begin the road works.
Similarly, a contract in the sum of $213.2 million was awarded to KP Thomas and Sons Contracting Incorporated around the same time to rehabilitate the Port Kaituma Road from the airstrip to the Fitzburg Housing Scheme. The DPI noted that based on reports, the contractor has not yet mobilised and was yet to commence works.

Village Leader for the Falls Top community, Emanuel Henry, is grateful for the works that were completed on the Falls Top stretch of road along the Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge road.
“The road was terrible since Barama left the area. When we leave from Falls Top to Port Kaituma it took three to four hours, but now we taking like 25 to 30 minutes; plus, the cost for transportation has even reduced, so we feel a real ease that the road was done and the contractors have done an excellent job.”
Businessman Latchmin Narayan also expressed similar sentiments. He pointed to the fact that business is now booming because of the road. “Before time, we use to walk through mud, but we voted for this and this is what we’re looking for our children and grandchildren.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry is also rehabilitating roads within Port Kaituma in Region One. Walcott explained, “The distinction between the roads within the community and major corridor is that we’re looking at rigid pavement for the airstrip to Port Kaituma, but within the community we’re trying to maintain the all-weather roads, so, basically, it’s an unpaved surface.”
The Hinterland Engineer is imploring residents to practise responsible use of the roads, to protect them and monitor the weight limit of vehicles traversing them.
He said, “We’re looking at the long-term vision for Port Kaituma, the community which has been neglected for way too long. As part of our plans to develop hinterland regions, we are investing over $700 million in the Region and we plan on investing a lot more so that persons understand that they are part of the nationwide development plan, and our goal is to bridge the gap.”