Residents of Fourth Bridge, Herstelling, New Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) are calling on the regional officials to pay heed to their current plight of having to daily traverse deplorable roads in the area.
A section of the Herstelling Road which is causing much distress to residents
The roads, for the past months since the rainy season commenced, cannot be used, thus, forcing residents to use alternative and very lengthy routes to get to and from their homes.
This prompted several residents to reach out to Guyana Times. When this publication visited the area, it was observed that several sections of the roads had eroded severely leaving large water ponds throughout.
According to one resident, vehicles are stuck in potholes daily.
“Every single day some vehicle have to be pulled out from one of these holes because the road gone so bad that you can’t even let you try to drive through. Them holes this like river man, watch, we aint lying, tell me how anything can pass here?” the man questioned.
One businessman said that because of the road’s condition, company trucks which supply him with goods for his grocery shop have requested that he find alternative means for getting his items delivered. The man noted that this is costly for him, which is causing him to lose profits.
“Now tell me how that could work out for me? I can’t be vex with the people because watch at this here, how in heavens name will any vehicle pass through this? The people got a right to refuse to come in but while they refusing, its putting a strain on me and my business because now I got to find extra gas to make several runs to pick up my goods them on my own, all because we can’t get this road fixed” the businessman lamented.
According to the residents, the area is relatively new and as such to date, the roads have not been properly built.
However, they are calling for the Public Infrastructure Ministry to have some work carried out in order for the roads to be made useable.
“We aint look for nothing fancy, even if they fill up these hole with bauxite and all right now it would be better because this here can’t work. We have children going to school, not everybody rich and have money to call taxi. My son does have to use bicycle and sometimes when he come home if you does see he condition. One day he deh trying to pass one of this whole and he fall in…” the man recalled.
The residents are hoping for swift action to be taking to address their woes.
