– marks the beginning of massive road project in the Town

THE first asphalt road to be constructed in Lethem was commissioned on Friday – marking the beginning of an era of transformation for the town, located in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
The road network valued at $473M was constructed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, much to the benefit of the residents of Lethem, and, by extension, the entire population of Region Nine.

The road dubbed ‘the Barrack Retreat Corridor’ was deemed safe, comfortable and durable by Region Nine engineer Rafael Lewis. The corridor includes underground drainage, which will allow most of the water to be drained into the Tabatinga Creek as well as two roundabouts. Plans are in the pipeline to furnish it with lights, and to beautify its environs with flowering plants.

The road, which commenced in 2017, was constructed by JR. Ranch and passes through the main commercial center zone of Lethem which connects to the Linden-Lethem, Deep-South Rupununi and Brazil. It was done in three phases and two sections. Prior, the road had two-lanes and was in a deplorable condition, since the laterite base was exposed and there were no drainage works. This resulted in excessive dust and slush in the dry and wet season, respectively. It was converted into a four-lane modern asphalted concrete road, with a comprehensive drainage system and two roundabouts. It will soon have concrete sidewalks, street lights and landscaping.

In describing how the road has transformed the lives of residents, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Carl Parker, reflected on the early 90s when he moved to Lethem and how the town was dubbed the land of dust and slush. Today, that rhetoric has changed, with the construction of one asphalted road. “What we are seeing here, is an attempt to change the landscape of the Central Rupununi and it is no longer dust and slush, but a land where we have proper and well-constructed roads, sponsored by the Government of Guyana,” the REO said.

A road of this nature, Parker said, is what residents have been pleading for, for decades, because the old deplorable dirt road presented a lot of hardship.
He explained that vehicle owners expended a significant amount of monies on maintenance and servicing, which was replicated in market prices.

It was also a burden on the health system, since many residents contracted respiratory diseases because of the excessive dust, amongst other things. “I am certain that this sort of road, will be extended to other parts of the Rupununi as well….we thank you for starting a process, that we have been crying for since in the 80’s. I want to urge you residents to care this road; guard it with your life,” Parker said.

The road forms part of the Government’s national plan for the development of capital towns. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sidney Allicock, reiterated that though the Government would have declared new capital towns, these towns must be given the due respect with the necessary infrastructural and social development in place. This he said, is the vision of the brainchild behind capital towns — President David Granger. “We have to have these infrastructure in place, because we are asking for communities to develop their agricultural produce, tourism products and other activities and for them to be successful, there must be easy access to these communities. Lethem is going to be a town that is going to shine, that is going to develop,” Allicock posited.

Government, he posited, is establishing a smooth pathway for the massive development that will strike the town, when oil production commences. The Vice President also described the thoroughfare as a reflection of the Government’s insistence, that the hinterland and the coastland, must share the same level of development.

This gap is being bridged in Lethem and other towns, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, said while noting that his Government is not only about dreaming and talking, but about planning and executing. “Some Governments dream and talk…some Governments dream, talk, plan and then take action. The APNU-AFC Government thought of taking care of this road, they dreamt of how they are going to do it, they started planning and we have gotten it done,” Trotman said.

The road is in addition to other developments in the township such as a radio station, two roundabouts and portable water. “We are in a better state where infrastructure is concerned, than where we were four years ago,” he posited.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, revealed that the real brainchild behind the road is former Mayor of Lethem, Carlton Beckles, who shared his vision for the township and stood with those responsible, to ensure it came to fruition. Patterson said that the 2.4 km of road, is just a tip of the iceberg for what is coming to Lethem. “This road is part of the overall developmental programme for Lethem.

The APNU-AFC Government sees Lethem as our Mecca of the South. This is only the very first piece of the project. Going on, the internal roads, the remainder of the roads will continue in 2020 and beyond. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure will continue to build asphalted concrete roads in Lethem, 1-.5 km, per year, until every street in Lethem is fully paved and this will be inclusive of drainage,” Patterson revealed to loud applause.

He also used the opportunity to highlight the developmental projects that are in the pipeline for national development. These include the Linden-Lethem Highway, the construction of a new airdrome and a solar farm.

In his feature address, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, endorsed the project as the start of a transformation from ‘bush’, to where persons will identify it as the connection point to the rest of South America. Nagamootoo described the moves as exponential development which will only get better with oil resources. He spoke of potable water that has come to the town, the construction of an industrial site which will enable the Rupununi to market its own products competitively.

“Today you can boast about potable water in the Rupununi, we can talk about health facilities being improved, we can talk about educational standards being improved, more children are passing with higher grades………you could imagine, when the oil revenues start in a matter of days…more would be invested in the education of our children in the hinterland areas, including the Rupununi,” Nagamootoo posited.

No doubt, the coalition government would have brought about an improved quality of life for residents in the Rupununi and by extension, all across Guyana. “This is an administration of quality, it is an administration of character, it is an administration with a difference, it cannot be compared with any other and will never be compared with any other.” In this regard, the Prime Minister urged residents to believe in the government, as the government would have believed in them.

The ceremony was then followed by the ceremonial ribbon cutting by ministers and government officials who were present. These also included Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Ministers within the Ministries of Communities, Public Infrastructure and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Annette Ferguson, Jaipaul Sharma and Valarie Garrido-Lowe. The official commissioning plaque, was then unveiled by the ministers.