Stop digging up roads everywhere – VP blasts poor public works planning

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has called for more order within the public construction sector, noting that too many times, thousands of citizens are left in discomfort due to poor organisation within various ministries and government agencies.
Jagdeo on Tuesday participated in a panel discussion during the Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown. There, he spoke about the number of projects being executed by the government.
However, he acknowledged that many times, citizens complain about the discomfort they face as a result of the various projects.
“I came back yesterday [Tuesday] from abroad and from the time I came down the East Bank Road I posted in the Cabinet group my dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Public Works. They’re not managing these sites well there are people all around they don’t think about the 100,000 people who are discomforted every day there they just go and dig things up everywhere,” Jagdeo said.
While noting that these developmental projects are important for the country, Jagdeo has since expressed that more order is needed.
“I know we’re building lots of things at the same time we have to do it, and it’s causing a discomfort, but for Christ’s sake, just let’s do it with some order,” he stressed.
In fact, the Vice President revealed that a lack in communication between ministries and various departments has resulted in several new roads being destroyed.
“They dig up a road that’s just there we just pave a road, they come and then, then the GWI, the water sector, will come and dig up back the road again. So, your regular, if regulation would help, tomorrow I’m, I’m doing all the regulations.”
Additionally, the vice president also addressed the issue of corruption in the sector, noting that the government has been working assiduously to clamp down on weaknesses within the system.
“We have spoken about engineers who do shoddy work in the design or who may take some bribe to pass work that is not done properly… We have seen multiple companies, one family would have four or five companies established in different names.
When they bid, they breach the process, the tender process, because you shouldn’t be producing multiple bids from a single family,” the vice president explained.
He added, “There is a requirement Under the Procurement Act that every company that gets all contracts awarded by the National Procurement Authority, which is above the big contracts, must be published on a website. You have to have the name of the company, the procurement method used, the sum procured for… I can go on with many other measures, the Integrity Commission law, strengthening it.”
Meanwhile, the Government has allocated a substantial $209.1 billion in the 2025 budget for the construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges across the country. This funding will support several major infrastructure projects, including the long-awaited Corentyne River bridge linking Guyana and Suriname.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh during the budget presentation, revealed that $5 billion has been earmarked to begin construction on the new bridge once discussions with Surinamese counterparts are concluded.
Another $15.5 billion has been allocated for the Palmyra to Moleson Creek road project. Additionally, $5 billion has been set aside for the commencement of the new Berbice River Bridge, a key infrastructure development for the region. Other critical projects include $17.5 billion for the Railway Embankment Road expansion from Sherriff Street to Orange Nassau, and a continuation towards the Mahaica River Bridge.
Further, $3.9 billion is designated for the completion of the Good Success to Timehri road on the East Bank of Demerara. These significant investments in infrastructure are expected to boost connectivity and support the country’s ongoing development efforts.