The Public Works Ministry received survey charts for the expanded Demerara River channel from RG holdings’ Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc on Friday.
With the expansion of the river channel, larger vessels could now be accommodated, which will improve traffic.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the project is a perfect display of the PPP/C Administration’s partnership with the private sector.
“Today provides the Ministry of Public Works and the Government of Guyana a golden opportunity to showcase to all Guyanese and the rest of the world that the President Ali-led administration is not only strong and long on words but we are extremely committed to facilitating and ensuring opportunities to Guyanese businesses to prosper,” he said.
The six months of extensive works on the river channel saw wrecks being removed and the draft increasing from five to nine metres. It also saw a widening by more than 60 per cent and a lengthening by five miles in the northwest direction.
The Minister expressed gratitude for the charts while highlighting the significant role they will play in the maritime sector.
“I am happy to receive these charts which will become now a form of the permanent records of the Maritime Administration Department of the Ministry of Public Works. This will be able to provide information of notice to mariners and it will also be a good time for us to say that the Government of Guyana intends to engage in ensuring the entire Demerara Channel is active and can facilitate the kind of traffic for both import and export that is required,” the Minister said.
Vreed-en-Hoop Shore base Inc is a joint venture between NRG Holdings Inc which is a 100 per cent Guyanese-owned consortium and Jan De Nul which is an international maritime infrastructure company headquartered in Luxembourg.
