…Residents raise concerns about disruption to housing, safety
…wants police outpost along road corridor

RESIDENTS in the Grove/Diamond community on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) were given the opportunity to highlight their concerns on how the Ogle-Diamond Road link project can affect them.

They gathered at a Public Scoping meeting on Thursday at the New Diamond/Grove Primary which was hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The US $104M East Bank-East Coast (Diamond/Ogle) Road Linkage project is aimed at reducing congestion on the two main roadways by providing commuters with an alternative route. However, to receive the go-ahead for construction, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure had to first submit an application to the EPA for environmental authorisation in keeping with the law.

Meanwhile, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required before approval or rejection is given as the road development may have significant impacts on the environment. Prior to stating their concerns, the residents were given a synopsis of the project by Senior Highway Engineer of RITES Limited Rajendra Sothwal.

Getting into the discussion segment, one resident recommended that police stations and other safety measures be put in place along the approximately 15.5km stretch of road which he noted is mostly cane fields.

Others questioned whether, assessing Guyana’s plan for rapid future development and possible housing schemes along the new road, a six lane road would be much more feasible than the four lane design. Regarding the number of lanes, Sothwal explained that parts of the road cater for such future expansions should the need arise.

EPA Director Khemraj Parsram added that the project caters for a buffer space so as not to encroach on housing. Another resident questioned whether the road project would stop the flow of the Lamaha Canal or affect its water quality which is presently utilised by residents, but Sothwal confirmed this concern has already been considered and will not occur.

Present at the meeting, too, was Head of Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe who also presented strong points for the EPA to consider. He questioned whether the EIA also seeks to establish a risk assessment; whether the EPA will delve into the indirect impacts of the project and suggested at that an economic assessment also be conducted.

“As we have seen in almost all the roads constructed in Guyana…all we hear is that traffic will be impacted and persons would be affected but we have never actually seen a quantifiable set of statistics which actually feeds into how it impacts national development,” he said, regarding the latter.

Meanwhile, the issue of sand trucks and other construction equipment being likely to pass through community to get to the bypass road was raised by Bynoe and several others.
Those attending were also briefed that the Mocha Arcadia Development Plan will be affected in the road’s construction process along with one existing house in the same area; six houses at Railway Embankment Junction and 16 proposed house lots.

These and other issues considered; some of the residents present were displeased with the turnout from the community which they say has about some 20,000 residents.
Others were also disgruntled by the absence of representation from their Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) and recommended that the authorities expand their efforts regarding advertisement.

Head teacher of the Diamond/Grove Primary School Wendy Norville made the suggestion that the agency return at the end of the month when some 400 from the community are expected to attend a general Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting.
At the end of the meeting, Public Relations Officer regarding the social impact of the project, Nikosi Bruce, gave the media a wrap up on the event.

“The entire point of the scoping meeting is so that residents in the community are able to come out, know what the project is about and further voice what concerns they may have in terms of the environmental impact the project could have on their livelihood,” he said.

Asked to comment on the residents’ concerns regarding the turnout, he said the EPA got to who they could and will learn from the meeting as he encouraged: “This is your country, this is your development. This is your chance to say ‘I like this project’ or ‘I don’t like this project and this is what I want to see’. We expect you to come out and voice your concerns…so we can give Guyanese what they deserve.”

The project design is expected to be completed by April, 2019 after which a three-month period is averaged for the finalising of a contractor with the projects commencement expected thereafter.