$10.1B Diamond-to-Buzz Bee Dam four-lane highway commissioned

Declaring it “a gamechanger” and “a statement that Guyana is not afraid to dream big”, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on today commissioned the $10.1 billion highway linking Great Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam, in what he described as a milestone moment in the country’s ongoing transformation.

The commissioning ceremony was held at the Great Diamond to Craig Roundabout, where President Ali addressed officials, stakeholders, and residents on the far-reaching impact of the new highway.

“This commissioning is not just about Buzz Bee Dam to Diamond it is about the future we are building. This road is proof that when the government sets its mind and people and the private sector work together and vision matches with execution we deliver. This road does more than move cars, we move people, we move hope,” the President said.

Prior to its official opening on Monday, earlier this month the roadway was opened to light vehicle traffic during restricted hours.

Built by the Ministry of Housing and Water, the highway is made of asphalt concrete. Contracts were awarded for the project in November 2023.

The project was divided into 12 lots, including more than 30 concrete bridges, 4.6 kilometres 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 were GuyAmerica Construction, VALS Construction, China Railway First Group, NABI, and H Nauth and Sons.

The Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam connection is the third phase of the highway, with the first phase being the Mandela to Eccles, and the second phase being the $13.3 billion Eccles to Diamond highway.

This four-lane road project is a result of efforts by the President Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government to ease traffic congestion on the East Bank, which not only leads to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – but also fields traffic coming from West Demerara.