Reg 6 undergoing major transformation; residents urged to grab opportunities

Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is entering a new era of infrastructural, educational, and economic transformation, with several major projects. These projects, particularly around Palmyra and Port Mourant, alongside the upgrading of the Corentyne highway corridor, promise to reshape the social and economic landscape for residents.

Palmyra is being developed into what is envisioned as a “mini-city” in Region Six. More than $7 billion in initial works has already been invested in the community, where housing, commercial, and civic amenities are being erected.
Plans are underway for hundreds of houses, young professionals’ homes, hotels, a modern mall, a hospital, and eventually a regional airstrip.
There will also be a national cultural market to showcase Guyana’s arts, culture, food, dance, and history. There is also the stadium that is being constructed in Palmyra.
Regional Chairman David Armogan believes that improved living standards are some of the benefits for residents, with the creation of jobs as the most prominent.
“The Palmyra Stadium is near completion. It is going to be completed sometime next year. When that is completed, it is going to be a very busy time here. The four-lane highway is proceeding. The Chinese have already started, and the Indians [contractors] are likely to start very shortly. When that is completed, too, that will be a major development for us in this region. The bridge connecting Guyana to Suriname is also likely to start as soon as finances are available and the negotiations are completed,” Armogan said while speaking at the launch of the Berbice Expo recently.

Similarly, Port Mourant is becoming a key educational and training hub in Region Six, especially for the growing oil and gas and tourism/hospitality sectors.
There is a national training centre being transformed to include a hospitality institute as well as the oil & gas training component. The first phase, valued at about $160 million, is moving apace.
President of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Poonai Bhigroog, says the Port Mourant development project is just one of several things happening in the region.
“If we go to the back of where Port Mourant Hospital is – I happen to pass there very often – you need to go there and look at the transformation in our own backyard. In another year or a year and a half, the ExxonMobil school will be finished, and the hospitality centre will be finished. And then if you are coming from New Amsterdam, you can look and see what is going to happen at Palmyra. It has started already, and we can look and see… Berbice will be transformed with the new highway. So there are a lot of things happening in Berbice,” Bhigroog told chamber members.

Opportunities arising
He also alluded to the fact that people of the region need to position themselves to take advantage of these developments, noting that in order to do so, persons need to pay close attention to the Government’s vision.
Bhigroog said entrepreneurs, business people, and residents as a whole need to position themselves to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
Weighing in on the discussion of transformation, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh pointed out that there are opportunities in every sector, especially when it comes to producers increasing their rate of investment, which will ultimately increase production due to the growing demands of goods and services.
“It is important to think about where the country is going and the opportunities that are arising. The people who will succeed and prosper are the people who think about where we are going as a country and as a region, what the opportunities are that will arise, and how they can position themselves and be prepared to take the risk to raise and invest capital and generate returns from the very exciting future; [they] are the ones that will succeed,” the finance Minister said.