– business community, residents laud this development
SECTIONS of the Corentyne Highway in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) are now benefiting from road lighting which has greatly improved visibility and safety at nights.
And members of the three Chambers of Commerce in East Berbice are hailing this development as not only positive for illuminating objects and potential hazards in and along the roadway, but also as a tool for economic development in these areas.
The sections which have benefited are, from New Amsterdam to Palmyra; Fyrish to Bloomfield, and Stockholm to Crabwood Creek – approximately seventeen miles of highway.
The work was done by Cummings Electrical Services under a contract awarded by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications and which is now 100% complete.
Traffic/Safety Engineer Mr. Nigel Erskine stated that  photocell street lights were installed along the 9.5 kilometres Stockholm to Crabwood Creek stretch at a cost of approximately $28M; along the 5.7 km roadway from New Amsterdam to Palmyra at a cost of approximately $17M and along the 9 kilometres from Fyrish to Bloomfield at a cost of approximately $26M.
He further disclosed that one length had been planned for Fyrish to Tain but had been extended to Bloomfield, an addition of close to two kilometers made possible by savings on costs.
Savings in costs on the East Berbice project also enabled the Ministry to place road lights on the Essequibo Coast and to target an additional area on the West Coast of Berbice for a similar benefit.
Meanwhile, members of the three Chambers of Commerce in East Berbice, the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce & Industry (UCCCI), the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCCI) and the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) have publicly expressed their appreciation to the Government for the installation of streets lights.
A joint media release by the three Chambers said that, with respect to road safety, members had already noticed a decrease in nocturnal vehicular accidents as well as an enhanced sense of security among residents and visitors.
They saw the lights impacting favourably on the local tourism sector by allowing for more night-based entertainment and services, fitness and leisure activities and benefits to both Canawaima Ferry Service and the local Hotel & Tourism industry.
The Chambers said they saw the lights  as also enabling  public transportation to extend their hours of service; enabling employers/employees to extend their working hours (shifts) resulting in increased earnings, production and productivity; enabling  greater participation in after-work, community-based activities by  NGO groups and encouragement of  students to attend evening classes to improve their knowledge and qualifications, among others.

The Chambers said: “Once again, we would like to thank the government for this initiative and look forward to the near future when the remaining areas in East Berbice (Corentyne highway) will be similarly illuminated during the hours of darkness.”
Mr. Erskine said yesterday that the contractor had agreed to a defects liability period of six months during which maintenance costs would be borne by his Company.
The Ministry will take over maintenance of the newly installed Corentyne Highway road lights after this six months period is over. (Clifford Stanley)