President Ali declares $10.1B Buzz Bee dam-to-Great Diamond road open

…eases EBD traffic woes; connections to CJIA and interior

Declaring it “a game changer” and “a statement that Guyana is not afraid to dream big,” President Dr Irfaan Ali on Monday commissioned the $10.1 billion Great Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam Highway, hailing it as a transformative piece of infrastructure and a celebration of Guyana moving “forward, faster, stronger.” The commissioning ceremony took place at the Great Diamond to Craig Roundabout, marking the completion of the third phase of the East Bank highway expansion, which began with the Mandela to Eccles and Eccles to Diamond links.
Addressing a large gathering of officials, contractors, residents, and the media, President Ali underscored the symbolic and practical value of the new four-lane road. “This is not just a road. It is a statement. A statement that Guyana is not afraid to dream big, not afraid to invest, not afraid to push boundaries, not afraid to lead,” the President said. “Let us celebrate this road as yet another promise fulfilled. Let us celebrate Guyana moving forward, moving faster, moving stronger.”
The President dismissed the skepticism that once surrounded such large-scale infrastructure projects. “Skeptics said Guyana was not ready. They said our capacity as a Government, as a people, was too small for such a grand undertaking,” Ali said.

“But look around you today. Look at what we’ve accomplished. We have proven them wrong, every single time.” He acknowledged the temporary inconveniences faced by residents and commuters during the construction phase, including traffic delays, dust, and disruptions, but thanked citizens for their patience and resilience.
“Progress always involves a period of temporary inconvenience. So I thank every citizen who bore up to the challenges and difficulties during the construction phase of this major road link,” he said. “But this road will bring relief, efficiency, and opportunities. It will increase the value of your property.”
Built by the Housing and Water Ministry, contracts for the highway were awarded for the project in November 2023. The project was divided into 12 lots, including more than 30 concrete bridges, 4.6 kilometres (km) of concrete highway, and two roundabouts to help manage traffic and further enhance connectivity and accessibility for thousands of East Bank residents and businesses. The contractors for the project are GuyAmerica Construction, VALS Construction, China Railway First Group, NABI, and H Nauth and Sons. “When we sat down to design this road, we knew that if we wanted it done quickly, if we wanted it done well, we would not rely just on one contractor. So we broke the work into several areas.
We spread the opportunities, we spread the responsibility and we created competition. The result is more progress, better quality, more accountability,” the President noted.

The President explained that the newly commissioned link is already being extended to Soesdyke, forming part of the Government’s broader plan to eventually connect the coastland to the hinterland through a modern, efficient transport network. “Buzz Bee Dam to Great Diamond is not a destination, it is a stepping stone to Soesdyke, to Linden, to Lethem, to a Guyana that is fully connected, fully mobile, fully modern,” Ali said. “We will continue to link hinterland to coastland, east to West, village to town citizens to opportunity. Because unless we do, unless we expand our transport infrastructure, we will remain prisoners of inefficiency, and that is something we refuse to accept. 
So let us celebrate this road as yet another promise fulfilled.” Also speaking at the event were Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry, Susan Rodrigues. Both praised the Government’s commitment to translating vision into action.
“Today is a day of pride, progress, and promise fulfilled,” said Minister Croal. “Once an idea, now a reality, this highway is more than asphalt. It is a road to opportunity.”
Rodrigues emphasised that the road is evidence of “a vision being implemented by competent people and capable leadership.” She reaffirmed that development is reaching all Guyanese, not just select regions.
Once fully open to vehicular traffic, the highway is expected to dramatically ease congestion on the East Bank, reduce commute times to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and support housing, industrial, and agricultural development. This project complements the India-funded bypass road linking East Bank Demerara (EBD) to the East Coast via the backlands. Under the previous administration, that project stagnated, but the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government restructured it into phases to match the US$50 million Indian Line of Credit, with the Ogle to Eccles section already completed.
President Ali reaffirmed his administration’s determination to invest in infrastructure that connects people, facilitates commerce, and elevates quality of life. “The road ahead for Guyana, like this four-lane highway, is wide, strong, and filled with promise,” he said.