Buxtonians told about $2B road upgrades for East Coast Demerara

Several roadways along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) will soon be enhanced to allow improved traffic flow for road users.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, noted that the upgrades will be part of the government’s infrastructural development agenda for the East Coast, East Bank, and Georgetown. E3dghill said works will be undertaken on the East Coast Railway Embankment from David Street, Kitty to Enmore, as well as a number of internal roads under the ministry’s 2022 miscellaneous road programme.

The minister stressed that the ministry is replacing the steel bridges and, “we want to be able to open up the railway embankment for greater traffic flow.” Edghill was at the time addressing residents of Buxton at the ministerial outreach at the Buxton-Friendship Community Centre Ground on Monday.

“That [Rail Embankment Road] will complement industrial development that is to take place on the East Coast, which will provide real employment for East Coast people,” he further explained,

The minister stressed that the internal community roads will be done through a collaborative effort among the Ministry of Public Works, the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (NDC) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Edghill disclosed that under the comprehensive miscellaneous road programme, the sum of $2B is being expended to upgrade and expand roads from Industry to Mahaica. He said that a number of these works have been advertised for tender, while works have commenced in some communities.

Additionally, the minister noted that his ministry has expended millions of dollars to improve farm-to-market roads across the country, particularly along the coast. This will be done in collaboration with the agriculture ministry.

Minister Edghill stressed that during the interactive session, residents requested that the government assist in upgrading their farm to market roads which are in a deplorable state. These roads, residents said, will allow them to transport their produce from farm to market, and allow them to access ancestral lands which were inaccessible for years.

The public works minister has committed to immediately rehabilitating the priority farm-to-market road. A team from the ministry will return to the community to consult with the residents and identify the road. “I will also return here next week Wednesday to meet with small civil works contractors within this area to discuss your capacity to assist the ministry in this effort,” he said.

The minister stressed that once these works are completed, it will bring government closer to achieving its goal to enhance connectivity across the country. However, he believes that more can be done if the residents and government can work together to transform their communities and by extension, the country.  “What we need is communication, dialogue, and peace that will promote development, and when the economic pie expands and there is greater development, and we also get more, we can be able to have a stable environment,” he noted.

Edghill revealed that so far, government has injected billions of dollars to rehabilitate several roadways and bridges among other much-needed development to improve the lives of all Guyanese. He added that among these are the $21.2B Ogle to Eccles Road.