OVER the years, the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Housing and Water, has made significant investments in the mining town of Linden. The Ministry of Housing and Water, under its Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), had invested more than $1.4B in Region 10. In 2004, the CHPA had undertaken two major projects for the construction of roads, drains and structures for more than $245.6M and the installation of pure water distribution network for more than $60.5M. These investments brought benefits to more than 4,100 residents living in Amelia’s Ward, Linden.
In 2005, the Ministry invested $6.1M for the construction of roads in South Amelia’s Ward, which saw more than 554 persons benefiting from improved infrastructure. Additionally, $33.5M was invested for the construction of roads, drains and structures in Wisroc, which brought benefits to more than 1,230 residents.
For the period 2006-2008, more than $204.2M was expended in the following areas in Region 10: Block 22 Wisroc (construction of roads, drains and structures), West Watooka (construction of roads, drains and structures), Speightland (construction of roads, drains and structures), Canvas City (construction of roads, and RC bin), Buckhill (construction of roads), and Green Valley (construction of roads). These projects allowed more than 1,235 residents to be able to benefit from improved infrastructure in the various communities.
During the period 2008-2009, the ministry invested more than $332.8M for the Installation of a pure water distribution network and the installation of electricity in Amelia’s Ward, Phase 2A.
In 2010, the ministry commenced works for the construction of roads, drains and structures. There was also the installation of a pure water distribution network and the installation of electricity was also budgeted for and the installation of pure water distribution system in Amelia’s Ward, Phase 3, which saw 1,000 house lots being allocated to residents in 2011. This project was done to the tune of $378M and brought benefits to more than 4,207 persons. There was also the upgrade of roads in Amelia’s Ward, Phase 2, which brought improved infrastructure to more than 2,050 residents.
These investments, totalling more than $1.4B in the housing sector of Region 10, brought benefits to more than 10,772 persons living in the Region.
For 2012, the ministry will continue to make investments in Region 10, so that more persons could own their own homes and the infrastructures in the communities are maintained. To this end, the ministry will be upgrading the roads in Amelia’s Ward Phase 1B. This will to be at an engineer’s estimate of $180M and will bring benefits to more than 4,207 residents. Additionally, the ministry is looking to invest approximately $360M in Wisroc Phase 1B for the construction of roads, drains and structures, and the installation of a pure water distribution network to bring benefits to another 800 persons.
Taking the past investments into account, and the planned investments for 2012, the Government of Guyana, through Ministry of Housing and Water, would have invested almost $2B in Region 10. This means that at the household level, the government would have made a household investment of more than $125,000 per household, and a per capita investment of more than $30,700 per person in the housing sector of Region 10.
In the water sector of Region 10, the government, through the Ministry of Housing and Water, has invested more than $700M in Region 10 and nearly $3B will be invested over the next five years to upgrade the treatment, transmission and distribution networks in the Region.
For the period 2004 to 2006, the government spent $116M for five major projects in Region 10. These include the rehabilitation of the Linden treatment plant and refurbishment works at Amelia’s Ward, and Wisroc and West Watooka water treatment plants. There was also installation of HDPE transmission lines in Wisroc.
The government invested a further $55M during the period 2007 to 2008, for distribution system upgrades in Linden and Fair’s Rust, and distribution rehabilitation in South Amelia’s Ward.
In 2009, more than $326M was invested for nine major projects. These were upgrades to the distribution system of Amelia’s Ward; there was installation of transmission lines in Amelia’s Ward (Old Scheme); there was the construction of a distribution system in Amelia’s Ward Phase 2; and there was distribution line upgrade and metering at Kara Kara. There were also upgrades to the distribution network at Silvertown and distribution upgrade and metering at Wismar Hill.
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) also embarked on the installation of transmission mains linking Amelia’s Ward and Mackenzie water supply networks. Service connection upgrades and metering was done in Blueberry Hill and upgrades were also done to the distribution network of North Amelia’s Ward.
During 2010, the ministry invested a further $207.5M in the water sector of Region 10. Because of this investment, significant improvements have been made so that more residents of Region 10 could have access to potable water. Some of the projects undertaken in 2010 include drilling of boreholes in Amelia’s Ward and other parts of Region 10, installation of transmission mains viz Richmond Hill and Amelia’s Ward, transmission upgrade from Mackenzie to Richmond Hill, rehabilitation of the storage tank at Wisroc and transmission interlink between Amelia’s Ward and Mackenzie.
In July, 2011, the Government of Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank signed a $2.5B contract for the Linden Water Supply Programme, which will see the construction of two state-of-the- art water treatment plants (one in Amelia’s Ward and the other in Wisroc), laying of transmission mains, and upgrade of service connections. The tenders for the water treatment plants and transmission mains will close next month, and the distribution upgrade will also commence next month.
The per capita investment of the Guyana Water Incorporated in Region 10 is close to $18,000 per person, but this figure will increase to more than $73,000 over the next five years, given the contract for the Linden water supply programme and other investments that the government already has in its work programme for Region 10.
Apart from the scope of the Linden water supply programme, other planned investments include distribution upgrades to the Richmond Hill distribution network, distribution upgrades from Burnham Drive to Christianburgh, the Amelia’s Ward Transmission Phase 2, East and West Bank Linden transmission interlink, service connection upgrades, and upgrade of supply system in Kwakwani and Ituni.
There will also be the construction of elevated storage facilities, installation of stand pipes and photovoltaic pumping systems in Friendship/Sandhill, Kimbia, Wikki Calanni’ Wiruni, and Great Falls.
These projects carry a total engineer’s estimate of $2.9B and will be undertaken over the next five years.