The Government is committed to ensuring that road improvement needs in all communities are addressed.
This was the sentiment expressed by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during the commissioning of three roads in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
“If we have not gotten to you as yet, yours will be the next or the next after the next… one thing you know is that the PPP has a track record of keeping its promises and I am saying to you that we will be upgrading all of the roads in Angoy’s Avenue within the next four years,” Edghill told residents of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open three roads in that community. Among the streets which were rehabilitated were Short Man Street; John Lewis Street and Post Office Street.
The projects were executed by AJM Enterprise and KP Jagdeo General Contractors. The three contracts were valued in excess of $65 million and covered a total of 1434 metres, or one mile.
Meanwhile, some residents expressed disappointment that their streets are still to be rehabilitated despite years of complaints.
This prompted Regional Chairman David Armogan to explain that if all of the roads in Angoy’s Avenue were to be fixed at this time there will not be funds to fix other roads in other parts of the country.
“People have to bear up with us, if you come and picket us all the time is not the way to get it done… so not everybody who run to my office and start misbehaving will get a response for the next day. It can’t happen. Some people have to wait a little bit and have a bit of patience but we will try to help as much persons as possible,” he told them.
However, Edghill pointed out that the projects were being done with funds from the 2020 National Budget which was an emergency budget put out by the Administration which had just taken office.
He disclosed that in the 2021 budget a sum of $50 million has been set aside for road rehabilitation work under the Urban Road Rehabilitation Programme. If fact, an equal sum will be spent in all ten towns countrywide.
While admitting that more work needs to be done, the Public Works Minister said every Guyanese is deserving of development.
He pointed out that more than 600 roads around the country have been rehabilitated since the PPP/C took office in August last year.
“Every Guyanese and every village and every street of every town of every religion of every race, they are deserving. There is none that is greater than the other one nor none that is better than the other one. We are one people, we are one nation and we have a common destiny,” Edghill told the small gathering.
Meanwhile, a ribbon was also cut to officially open the new East Bank Berbice Main Access Road.
The three stretches of rehabilitation were completed within the Enfield/New Doe Park Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) area, Khortberaadt and Light Town areas covering 2444 metres to the tune of $142.7 million.
The work was carried out by KP Jagdeo General Contractors.
In Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Health Centre Street at Bath was rehabilitated to the tune of $110 million. That project was carried out by Associated Construction while Pump Station Street at Blairmont and Bacchus Street at Zorg-en-Hoop was rehabilitated to the tune of $2 million. Both projects were executed by 4A Engineering.
A $26 million road rehabilitation project was also expected to be commissioned at Barber Man Street in Canefield Canje in Region Six for $26 million while a similar project is also expected to be commissioned at Eversham Sideline Dam in the Kilcoy NDC area to the tune of $28 million.
