CENTRAL Mackenzie is one of the areas in the mining town of Linden that over the past month has seen transformation with the construction and major repairs to several key roads and drainage works.
The Government of Guyana and the Regional Administration have received high praise for having these roads completed to an acceptable standard. Roads that were recently completed include Upper Greenheart Street and Dagaraad Aveneue while the main access bridge to Industrial Area was also competed.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle a resident of Green Heart Street on Wednesday said that the road would have received patches in previous years, but the standard of the work done this time around seemed more durable. “Yes, I think is good work they did, and I am happy because the road was a terrible headache for us, you would have to walk in because the cars wouldn’t want to come in and you can’t blame them because the potholes were huge,” she said. Another short-drop driver, Terry Belgrave, in an invited comment said that it is now easier to traverse the route on a smoother road. “Yes, I am happy that the road was completed and I see many more roads and so being done because the people would curse the car man them, but then when they come out and leave their $100, is thousands you have to spend at the workshop,” Belgrave commented.

Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, at a press briefing on Wednesday said that the roads were in the 2017 budget and given the magnitude of the road situation in Linden, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure responded positively in assisting with road construction as well. Morian said that when the Council was elected to office in 2015, the reality was that almost all of the roads in the communities were in a deplorable state.

He said about 100 more roads in Linden are in need of repairs and the Administration will be working assiduously to have these community roads completed in 2018. The Regional Administration has prioritised upgrading access roads leading to public institutions such as schools, health centres and public offices. Roads that are under construction and will be completed soon are Casuarina Drive, One Mile Access Road and I-CEE road. Repair works are also being done to internal roads at Christianburg, Brazena Scheme and Republic Avenue. Four of these major capital works were awarded to a Linden contractor. However, other small scale contractors are being encouraged to bid for maintenance works that will commence soon. A total of $80M has been budgeted for these current works.