GOVERNMENT intends to spend big on infrastructural development, and next year’s Budget will see allocations for a number of mega projects, President David Granger says. The administration is currently doing its round of consultations for the 2016 Budget, and the President has given assurance that the estimates will be ready early January.
Speaking on the Ministry of the Presidency’s Public Interest forum, President Granger acknowledged that Guyana cannot be developed without proper infrastructures, and as such in the 2016 Budget, various projects will commence this developmental foundation before superstructures are built.
“This country cannot be developed without proper infrastructure; without proper highways and bridges, ferry stellings, airdromes, Harbour Bridge. If we are to develop this country, we have to have a solid infrastructure base before we can build superstructures.
“These will be addressed in the Budget of the financial year 2016,” President Granger asserted during the interview.
DEL CONTE PROJECT
One of the mega projects which is likely to commence next year is the Del Conte road project. Only last month, Geoffrey Vaughn, Coordinator of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Works Services Group, told the Government Information Agency (GIAN) that the feasibility studies for the Del Conte road project would soon be completed, after which work will commence.
“This is one of the roads that came on stream (and) which would add towards the mining industry, and persons using it as one of the alternative routes in getting to those areas such as Bartica,” Vaughn had explained to GINA.
This road project fits completely into the entire National Transport Network, as it provides a complete ring in the current transport network.
“You can ring around the East Bank Road, get into the highway to Linden, get from Linden into Lethem and other mining industries, then you come in from the other end, which is East Bank Essequibo, and you can also access and meet to Linden…” Vaughn said.
“You’re looking at a complete link now, so it makes things either better for some persons who may be coming from the Essequibo Coast, Leguan, Wakenaam and those areas, and who may want to get into the mining industry, and instead of having to use the longer route, you can actually drive across, and then use your necessary alternative transportation to get into the hinterland,” he added.
This project forms part of the administration’s overall plan, which is to ensure accessibility around the economic activities in Guyana.
The Del Conte road begins at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and goes all the way down the East Bank Essequibo area into Goshen. For persons to get from Goshen to Bartica, a boat may have to be used.
BRIDGING THE ESSEQUIBO

However, the Ministry is exploring a number of options, including the building of a bridge network across the Essequibo River.
“The feasibility studies are ongoing, and we are expecting that as soon as that feasibility study is wrapped up, we will be able to make some decisions in terms of whether or not we use a bridge, or go with a steamer service or pontoon, whichever way works in terms of economic feasibility,” Vaughn had further outlined.
The government’s thrust is also being aided by donors, with the European Union (EU) recently renewing its commitment to supporting infrastructural development in Guyana.
EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtic, in discussions with Ministers of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Annette Ferguson, recently reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to working with Guyana in its development process.
Guyana-EU cooperation commenced over 40 years ago, with priorities including sea defences and transport infrastructure, inter alia, the Bartica/Berbice ferry services, the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) rehabilitation and the Ogle International Airport (OIA) extension.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed several ongoing projects, including the ‘Power Utility Upgrade Programme’ which is co-financed by an EU grant of €19.3M, and a loan by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) of US$37.6M.

GPL UPGRADE
The project, which is being administered via Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc, is geared at enhancing the operational efficiency and corporate performance of the utility company. It will cater to the upgrading of infrastructure to reduce energy and revenue loss, while also improving GPL’s management and administrative efficiency.
It was agreed by the two parties that close monitoring of project implementation is necessary to make best use of available resources. Ambassador Videtic, along with Ministers Patterson and Ferguson also discussed ongoing cooperation programmes on sea defences, including capacity-building and training, strengthening the functionalities of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), opportunities for studies in renewable energy, and the exploration of possible future EU/Guyana collaboration in the area of renewable energy, transport infrastructure, tourism and logistics.

POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Meanwhile, underscoring that focus will also be strongly placed on the alleviation of poverty and social cohesion, the President also disclosed that “the Budget is on stream, and we’re likely to present it in January.
“In fact, there will be two budgets in 2016, since we want to produce the 2017 budget in December of 2016, so that we will be able to start the first day in 2017, knowing where the money is going to be spent.”
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan has already indicated that Budget 2016 will see an early presentation. Jordan had presented a $221B Budget to the National Assembly for the 2015 fiscal year under the theme, “A Fresh Approach To A Good Life In A Green Economy”, the first fiscal budget for the APNU+AFC administration.
Fiscal budgets are usually presented in March/April; however, due to the holding of General Elections in May, the 2015 Budget was presented on August 10 instead.

By Rabindra Rooplall