Public Works Minister Juan Edghill on Wednesday emphasised the need for transportation systems to become more climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable, and technology-driven to improve outcomes for commuters.
He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the International Road Federation (IRF) 13th Caribbean Regional Congress being held in Georgetown, where he noted that rapid urbanisation is placing increasing pressure on transportation networks.
“What is happening in terms of transportation requires a new look at how we build,” Minister Edghill expressed.
For instance, he said climate change “is no longer a future concern”, noting that “it is today’s engineering reality”.
“Extreme weather events are testing infrastructure that was never designed for today’s environmental conditions,” Minister Edghill posited.
In fact, the Public Works Minister underscored the importance of building more resilient infrastructure, noting, “I can stand here and tell you that we have built 48 bridges, 500 kilometres of paved road, and 30 kilometres of concrete road. We can call out numbers, but it must last and it must be able to respond to the challenges that we have.”
Moreover, Minister Edghill stressed the importance of embracing technologies throughout the process, including greener practices.
“It means that we have to embrace innovation and examine new technologies in construction. How we build and the materials that we use to build and, of course, we gotta start questioning engineering practices of the past and, as innovators, start asking questions: How could we do this better?” he said, adding that policymakers must also examine how to transition to cleaner and more sustainable transportation systems.
Edghill also spoke about embracing artificial intelligence to develop intelligent transportation systems.
“In my recent visit to Shenzhen, dealing with Huawei, observing cameras that could see three kilometres long and how we can integrate all of that into traffic management and also traffic safety,” he noted.
The bottom line, he emphasised, is that “roads must withstand more intense rainfall, bridges must accommodate increasing freight movements, transport systems must anticipate electric mobility, cities must integrate intelligent traffic management, engineering standards must incorporate climate resilience from the earliest stages of design, and digital technology must become a part of infrastructure, not an afterthought.”
The Public Works Minister noted that citizens rightly expect safer roads, shorter travel time, better connectivity, and transportation systems that are sustainable, resilient and inclusive.
He explained that the Guyana Government is committed to achieving these objectives, referencing the new Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge connecting Regions Three and Four. Minister Edghill informed that conference that this single piece of infrastructure cuts commuters’ daily travel time by 3-4 hours.
“Parents are able to spend more time with their children doing homework. Children could be more focused in classrooms because they left home at 5:30am for 9 o’clock. Georgetown can be less congested because businesses could now move to Region Three and expand. It’s one piece of infrastructure, but it has made such a big difference and touched families in a very positive way,” he noted.
Established in 2012, the IRF Caribbean Regional Congress was created to address the unique transportation challenges facing Caribbean nations. Now in its 13th edition, it has become the region’s premier transport forum, bringing together global expertise and regional experiences to advance sustainable and resilient transport systems.
This year’s congress will focus on practical solutions for improving road safety, climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure development, transport planning, road asset management, public transport systems, innovative pavement technologies, traffic management, and the transition to clean energy and low-carbon mobility.
The programme will feature high-level keynote addresses, technical sessions, networking opportunities and partnership-building engagements involving Government agencies, development partners, contractors, engineering consultancies, research institutions and road safety advocates.
The Ministry of Public Works had noted that Guyana’s selection as host reflects its rapid economic expansion and significant investments in infrastructure, positioning the country as an emerging regional hub for innovation, connectivity and sustainable development.
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