– mid year report
THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is committed to improving Guyana’s transportation network as it has been investing in the development of roads and bridges, as well as air and water transport across the country.
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, during his presentation to the National Assembly on the country’s Mid-Year Report 2010, highlighted the investments in this key sector which is vital for providing employment and attracting foreign investments.
Roads and Bridges
Government in 2010 budgeted $7.6 billion to improve the country’s roads and bridges network and at the end of the first half of the year, $1.7 billion was spent on roads and $1 billion on bridges, as against $1.9 billion and $353 million in 2009, he told the House.
Residents in varying communities in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the first half of the year received better road service as Government was successful in the maintenance of over 179 community roads at a cost of $940.3. It was noted that another 37 roads are expected to commence later this year in Linden and Wismar, Region Ten.
As earmarked in the 2010 National Budget, the East and West Canje roads which serve 1,500 acres of agricultural land will benefit from commencement of works during the second half of the year.
In addition, later this year construction will commence of approximately 35 kilometres of all weather roads in the Black Bush Polder area for which $1 billion has been budgeted. This will benefit 425 farmers and improve access to 17,000 acres of agricultural land.
Dr. Singh emphasised that, “the designs to rehabilitate the Sheriff Street to Mandela Avenue road and the access road from Timehri leading to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will also commence in the second half of the year, while the design for extending the four lane highway on the East Bank Demerara up to Grove has commenced and will be completed by the end of the year.”       
Government has been maintaining and rehabilitating the Demerara Harbour Bridge, which links Regions 3 and 4, to expand the bridge’s lifespan whilst providing improved, safe and secure service to commuters.
He stated that the upgrading of the structure continued in the first half of the year with expenditures amounting to $622.4 million, and works included the fabrication of deck units, distribution beams, junction transom and buoys, and servicing of pontoons.
In addition, “works on the 25 critical structures from Garden of Eden to Timehri, Annandale to Buxton and Abary Bridge are ongoing and the sum of $305.7 million was expended at the first half of the year,” Dr. Singh stated.

Air and Water Transport
Air transport for domestic purposes is becoming common among travellers and to provide an improved service to passengers, Government has been investing in key infrastructure.
“Domestic aerodromes benefited from $14.5 million in maintenance while an additional $10 million was expended to construct an airstrip at Wakenaam. The latter will also benefit from the construction of a bridge and an access road leading to the airstrip which is expected to be completed by year end,” Dr. Singh said.
Meanwhile, during the first half of the year, Government expended $35.2M on the construction of 1,740 feet airstrip at Ogle International Airport. Works are ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of the year.
He highlighted that during the second half of the year the Civil Aviation Authority will acquire air traffic equipment to modernise the Ogle airport.
Dr. Singh noted that several works on construction, rehabilitation and modernisation of river transport are in the design stages.