.jpg)
The President said he had recently reviewed the pending and ongoing infrastructural works in the country and realized they were beset by challenges, one of which is the inability of the local quarry establishments to produce adequate amounts of stone to satisfy current demand.
Moreover, a paucity of building contractors has stymied the pace at which Government would like to see contracted works progressing.
The President said he has consequently spoken to Public Works Minister Robeson Benn about the possibility of importing stone to facilitate works moving apace without the lengthy delays that contractors sometimes blame on the untimely supply of stone.
President Ramotar said many contractors already have works ongoing in other sectors, but have been unable to start on new contracts they have been awarded because their resources are otherwise tied up. And all this can be blamed on the shortage of stone, needed to complete construction of infrastructural works.
Only last Friday, contractors complained to Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill about their inability to complete works along the West Coast of Berbice because of an inability to secure stone.
The Guyana Chronicle spoke yesterday with a businessman who sells stone. He said that while he understands and welcomes the concerns of the President and contractors, he is certain that if the Government were to import stone it could have negative spin-offs, because many persons would question the logic behind the Guyana Government importing stone when stone production businesses already exist in the country.
There could also be unnecessary debates engineered by those who would put a political spin on the development, despite stone importation being necessary to ensure timely delivery of works already contracted by the Government and people of Guyana.
