…solar farm, improved sea defences, road upgrade in the works

A ONE-MEGAWATT (1 MW) solar farm; LED lights; improved sea defences and upgraded roads are just some of the planned infrastructure projects for the island of Leguan in the near future.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, and a team from the Ministry visited the island in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) on Thursday and spoke to these and more.

The visit to the island took place as Minister Patterson made good on a promise to a group of Region Three residents who requested the same at the government’s multi-ministry outreach to Lenora in April.

Meeting residents along with Patterson at the Guyana Sea Defence Department at Leguan were: Permanent Secretary (ag) Geoffrey Vaughn; Chief Sea and River Defence Officer, Kevin Samad; Chief Roads and Bridges Officer at the Work Service Group (WSG), Ron Rahaman; Electrical Engineer, Du-Wane Downer and Community Organised for the Restoration of the Environment (CORE) Coordinator, Charelene Garraway.

In his opening address to the residents, Minister Patterson announced: “I have slated here, under the Guyana REDD?plus Investment Fund to put a 1 MW solar farm in Leguan slated to start this year. We’ll be doing one in Wakenaam as well.”

He stated that the move is geared towards boosting energy provision on the islands. He also informed residents that there were 47 street lights from the Ministry in Leguan and they would be replaced with LED lights while another 53 will be given to the community. The residents applauded when Patterson stated that these will be completed by the end of July and community members will be engaged in determining which areas have the greatest need of the lights.

In addition, 20 solar-powered street lights are to be placed in appropriate areas while the Ministry’s LED Replacement Programme will see the replacement of incandescent bulbs with LED lights to save energy.

Regarding sea defenses, Patterson informed residents that works in several areas are progressing. Expounding further, District Engineer for Region Three, Seenarine Nandram, explained that sea defence works at Canefield and Cane Garden are 50 per cent complete; works at Success are 95 per cent complete; at Cornelia works are 5 per cent complete and in other areas works are progressing.

He added that the Ministry, through its capital projects and maintenance programme, annually expends over $200M in sea defence works.
“Prior to the implementation of these projects, sea defence was in a critical condition [experiencing] over topping, flooding of residential areas and damages to crops and livestock, so we’ve upgraded all of those,” he said.

On this note Patterson stated: “I would like to think that you are adequately and safely protected from the elements at the moment. If there is any emergency works, we have a permanent team here.”

At the meeting, members of community openly voiced their concerns on the infrastructural challenges affecting them. The first resident who spoke, Mr. Imran, raised a concern that pregnant women and elderly are being prevented from boarding the ferry due to a system which sees the stelling’s entrance gate being closed 15 minutes before the departure.

Minister Patterson, after interacting with the responsible officer, stated the challenge that the Transport and Harbour Department faced was that persons put pressure on the system and delay others when they turn up late for boarding.

However, he stated that he would speak with the necessary authority requesting that the gate be shut on the hour of departure instead, with no exceptions for person who come beyond this time.

Meanwhile, resident Mohamed Sultan stood up and thanked the Ministry for visiting the island expressing his confidence that Minister Patterson was a man whom he trusted to fulfill his promises. “When you come here today I realised that we are going to get an action man,” he told the audience.
He raised the concern about the weight of trucks utilizing the stelling and the road situation near his residence on Amsterdam Road which he said has not been upgraded in some 20 years.

In response, Patterson said that overweight trucks utilizing roadways and stellings are a concern for the Government which is presently looking into solutions to curb the trend.

He assured residents that the Amsterdam to Canefield road will be upgraded to crusher run while the entire Amsterdam will be completed in phases.
Nandram told the newspapers on the sidelines that since 2016 the Ministry had expended in excess of $300M towards road improvement and development in Leguan covering almost 8 miles of the road-network on the island. Speaking on the similar topic of roads, Patterson took the opportunity to plead with residents to care the infrastructure and desist from damaging the roadways with agriculture machinery.

Continuing the engagement, one woman by the name of Rehanna raised the issue of having to pay an exorbitant fee for a post for street lights at her residence. She was able to receive a response on the spot from a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) representative.

Another resident spoke to the issue of drugs being brought to the island on speedboats which Patterson assured is a matter which will be brought to the attention of Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. Several other residents, before leaving the meeting, were eager to tell of how much the engagement meant to them.
“Minister Patterson promised me at the government outreach at Leonora that he was going to hold a community meeting [in Leguan] to highlight the challenges in Leguan like our stelling, roads, sea defences and those kinds of things. He came and, for me, it was a surprise,” said Hans Buer, a German national who has been living on the island for 2 years.