IN 2015, upon assuming Office, this Administration, having seen a significant decline in the quality of life for Guyanese, pledged to place Guyana on a development trajectory. This resulted in a holistic plan to fast-track Guyana’s economic development by placing as a

paramount goal the transformation of the country through several initiatives.

Within this framework, is a robust infrastructural development policy, which includes sustainable urban, rural and hinterland renewal. The intended link of the hinterland to the coastland would make accessible Guyana’s most resource rich regions, improve road, and bridge networks and the overall means of transportation, and will ultimately impact the cost of production in the manufacturing sector and help to improve security and the provision of key services to citizens.

Infrastructural development is transformative and can spur economic activity but in the short term it also provides much-needed jobs. This Administration has executed a number of large-scale infrastructural projects particularly in the area of road infrastructure, while many other projects are expected to begin this year. Among these projects includes the

rehabilitation of roads, which has been a noticeable endeavour of the Ministry in the past 20 months. In 2016, the construction and rehabilitation of numerous urban roads in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10, under the Miscellaneous and Urban Roads Programme were completed and these works will continue with increased budgetary allocations for these two programmes for the year 2017.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson, said that much focus has also been placed on previously neglected areas but that these works extend beyond roadworks and include electricity, water and other works where necessary.
In February this year, the Ministry completed the construction of a new ring-road between the ‘C’ and ‘D’ fields in Sophia, as well as the installation of a water distribution system. President David Granger, at the commissioning ceremony, said that these works were a

representation of Government’s commitment to not leaving communities like Sophia behind.

“Sophia did not have the services that it needed – the health centres, the schools, the markets, the transportation, the sanitation, street lights, parks, playgrounds, fire hydrants – all of these utilities and services that are necessary if Sophia is to catch up with the other wards in Georgetown… I want you to feel part of a community. But this community cannot be transformed by Government alone. We need the support of all of the residents; all of the citizens; we need the support of civil society; we need the support of the municipality. So all four of us working together…can transform Sophia and make this a destination that people want to come to.” The President said.

Minister Patterson said that over $825 million were spent on roads in Sophia and that in the coming months an additional $60 million will be expended to infrastructural work in the area. He added that similar works were also conducted in other communities such as Leguan and that the Ministry has a long list of other communities it intends to visit in the near future, including: Pigeon Island, in Region Three; communities in Region Five, including Angoy’s Avenue, Agricola, in Region Four; communities in Region 10 and other areas. The Minister said that at every location, the Ministry ensures that it utilises the services of local residents to create employment, and that the excess material is donated to worthy causes – such as being donated to churches and hospitals –

after completion of the works.

Linking the Hinterland to the Coastland
Creating linkages from the coast to the hinterland is a commitment, which was outlined in the Government’s 2015 Manifesto, and which has therefore remained a top priority on the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s mandate. The 2017 Budget has made available some $2.5 billion for the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of hinterland roads and bridges. Minister Patterson said that this project is an expansive one, which, by the end of its expected 24 month timeframe, will see Guyanese having access to areas such as Bartica, Goshen, Iwokrama and Brazil.

Programme Manager for the Ministry’s Hinterland Programme, Mr. Jeffrey Walcott, said that the Ministry is focusing on four main areas in order to efficiently execute this massive project. These areas are: improvement of both air and road transport through the use of better construction and technology, ensuring more consistent maintenance is conducted, reduction of costs in construction and greater visibility by sharing with the public the progress of the work being conducted.

President Granger has pushed for the development of hinterland infrastructure since taking up office. In August 2015, at the opening ceremony of the National Toshao’s Council, the President announced a ten- point Hinterland Development Plan, among which included the Hinterland Infrastructure Extension Programme. “We want economic development for you. We want to see rapid economic conversion between the two zones; the hinterland and the coastland. In order to achieve this conversion, we must improve the physical infrastructure within the hinterland, where the vast majority of our indigenous people reside,” the President said. This step of the programme included plans to pave the road between Linden and Lethem, followed by better bridges, aerodromes, stellings, roads, ferries and other forms of transportation.

Other expansion works on the Ministry’s agenda will take place on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara Highways within which includes works on sea defences, the development of major roads and bridges in these areas. With increased road traffic, the need for the expansion of the two major highways has become an imperative force over the years. Works for the expansion of the East Bank Demerara four-lane project funded by the International Development Bank started in 2011 and were completed in September 2016 under this administration at a total cost of US$17.7 million, but the Minister said that more work in this area is set to begin shortly.

Additionally, the Minister said that a feasibility study was recently completed with regard to the expansion of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the location of a new river crossing to alleviate traffic. The Minister said that negotiations with contractors on this project are expected to begin in July.

Beautification of the Waterfront
Guyana’s northern most waterfront, has for years, served as a means of recreation through social and sport activities; a convergence which in turn developed the opportunity for vendors to capitalise. Seeing the massive tourism and commercial potential of this area, government sought to create a more welcoming environment, thus bringing to fruition the Georgetown to Ogle Waterfront development and enhancement project, which government proposes to complete through partnership with the UK – Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (DFID).

The project will see the strengthening of sea defences along the Kingston to Ogle waterfront, while converting the area into a commercial space with recreational facilities and organised vending. The other part of the project includes the transformation of the Demerara river bank and the wharves at the Stabroek Market and Vreed en Hoop. “Seventeen thousand people use the speedboat between Vreed en Hoop and Stabroek every day, so we will be upgrading, making it into a proper waterfront facility, floating ramps, commercial activities; and it will be covered like you would see in any first-world country. And from the Marriott to the Kitty Pump Station we will be doing a boardwalk with similar facilities,” the Minister said.

Senior Engineer within the Sea and River Defence Division, Mr. Jermaine Braithwaite, said that the project is in its very early stages but that the overall project is aimed to be completed by the year 2020. He said that the project holds several commercial and infrastructural benefits for the Guyanese people. “You can promote, enhance or increase commercial act – the overall social benefits for families and visitors, but the sea defence infrastructural works is of course of great importance…the importance of having the flood protection structures improved is tremendous because that protects whatever is on the landward side of the defences and speaks to other infrastructural assets and state-owned facilities as well. The importance at the Stabroek and Vreed en Hoop river transit facilities will also benefit the public tremendously and the enhancement of transport and harbour facilities and possibly aspects of the Stabroek Market will allow for greater commercial activity as well,” he said.

Renewable Energy Transition
Guyana is on the pathway to becoming a ‘green’ State, much of which involves the transition toward renewable forms of Energy. Government believes that an energy mix from such sources is the best option in order to decentralise the provision of renewable energy to various parts of Guyana and this is in keeping with the country’s commitment to increasing its renewable energy use to 100 percent by 2025.

The Department of the Environment, earlier this month, released its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), within which sets out several targets, which align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These targets include: the removal of tax barriers for the importation of renewable energy equipment and other related material, conducting public education and awareness programmes to provide consumers with information and tools to reduce energy consumption and expenditure, the aim to power all of the six newly established townships, starting by using renewable energy sources and other related targets.

The Guyana Power and Light Limited, through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, is a major stakeholder in the achievement of the vision of Guyana’s green economy. As such, several initiatives have been established and will continue to be established in this sector to achieve this goal.
These include the commencement of preparatory steps for the introduction of renewable energy from intermittent and non-intermittent sources, including wind, solar, biomass and hydro power. Moreover, the Minister said that the utility company will look to procure new equipment in an aim to address the issue of frequent power outages.

The Minister said that even outside of these projects, several others, including the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) are on stream, as the Ministry endeavours to improve the overall infrastructure of the country.
As the year progresses, Minister Patterson said that his Ministry will continue to work in order to provide better access for people all across the country; to improve the productivity of its people, and to contribute to the overall development of Guyana.