Construction and rehabilitation of hinterland roads in 2021 saw $2.1B being spent

$2.1B were spent on the construction and rehabilitation of roads in Regions One, Seven, Eight,
Nine and Ten in 2021 by the Public Works Ministry through its hinterland roads programme.
This was the disclosure made by Junior Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar, on Monday during
the ministry’s year – end press conference, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. Indar
pointed out that his ministry will concentrate on the construction of concrete roads in Region
One and move away from the laterite throughfares in communities such as Mabaruma, and
Kumaka to Kwebanna. “Although we have the laterite roads and we did maintenance of those,
we are pushing a kilometer of road every year to ensure the entire stretch is concrete, so, in
Region One, we started that process there,” he revealed.
The junior minister said that a number of laterite roads in Region Seven, were also rehabilitated
and maintained. These he noted, included the Kaburi and Puruni roads which were damaged due
to heavy rainfall. Indar noted further that the ministry also executed works on some rigid
pavements from Five Mile to the airstrip, as well as 1.5 kilometers of roads in the Bartica
township itself.
Regarding Region Eight, the minster disclosed that $100M was invested in community
engagements projects for which a number of roads were done in Kopinang, Monkey Mountain,
Paramakatoi and Chiung Mouth. Indar stated that major works were done on the Denham
Suspension Bridge and a number of culverts in the area.
He said that works were done on a number of roads from Lethem to Aishalton in Region Nine.
Minister Indar said that these works were also done on two kilometers of asphaltic roads
between Lethem to St Ignatius, along with two kilometers of sidewalks in Lethem itself.  He
noted that major rehabilitation works were done on the Annai to Lethem Road which was
severely destroyed by floods. In the South Pakaraimas, he said works were also done on sections
of the road from Karasabai to Yurong Paru.
Further, the minister sad that works also continued on the Mabura corridor, Region Ten last
year, while attention was also placed on roads in Kwakwani, Rockstone, Muritaro and Malali.
“Heavy rainfall continues to be a serious impediment, as well as heavy-laden trucks that continue
to use the road when there is a downpour and cause damage to the roads,” Indar explained.
The junior works minister stressed that government is committed to ensuring resources are made
available to ensure key roads in the hinterland are maintained and new roadways constructed to
facilitate better interconnectivity and facilitate easier movement of goods and services.
Additionally, he said that in 2021, the Public Works Ministry received the sum of $44.6B to
execute its mandate.