Rehabilitation work being done on Linden-Lethem trail

Rehabilitation works were done on the Linden to Lethem road. This is expected to bring relief to minibus operators and passengers who traverse the trail. The remedial works commenced on June 23 and completed on June 28, 2019.

The works were done on certain patches and major holes were filled. This was confirmed by the Mayor of the mining town, David Adams, on Thursday.
In an invited comment to the Guyana Times, he said the works were done by the Regional Administration of Region Eight and vehicles are now able to reach into Mahdia.
He added, however, that due to the persistent heavy showers and the heavy-duty trucks traversing the area, he is unsure of how long the works would suffice.
He noted that the works have brought significant relief to the road users that have been suffering in the recent months.
Minibus operators plying the 72 route into Mahdia have expressed satisfaction with the remedial works which will benefit them as well as other road users. They expressed hope that the work continues and regular maintenance is done on the road.

Road users, particularly minibus operators, plying the trail have been complaining of the deteriorated condition of the trail which had become almost impassible.
Mayor Adams had said that no major works could be done on the trail during the rainy weather. During this season, extra attention needed to be paid to the trail between Mahdia and Mabura, which was in dire need of repair works.
The minibus operators have complained bitterly of the deteriorating condition of the trail which they are forced to use to transport passengers and goods as a means of earning their daily bread.
They described the trail as a “death trap” and bashed the Public Infrastructure Ministry for paying zero interest in conducting long-term repairs to that trail which is the only access to those areas. Those minibus operators were forced to park their buses for a period of time.
Further, when they resumed work, they were unable to get into the mining town with their buses and as such were forced to take passengers up to a point on the trail and then transfer those passengers and goods and other items to All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and pickup trucks that were able to get through the mud and into the mining town. This arrangement persisted for several weeks.
This had resulted in hardships on those passengers and business owners who had to offset the double cost to reach into the mining town. Residents were also facing hardships as businesses were forced to inflate prices to offset the transportation cost and as such, they had to pay higher prices for goods.
The trail has been in a deteriorated state for years and worsens during the rainy seasons after which minor substandard repairs are done on certain patches and the problem continues to recur.