…$500M upgrade for existing fleet
GOVERNMENT will be spending $1.1B to construct a new ocean-going passenger and cargo ferry, which will ply the Parika-Mabaruma route, while the sum of $500M has been budgeted for the rehabilitation of the existing fleet of vessels, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said.
He made the announcement during his budget presentation on Monday in the National Assembly, saying that Guyana’s economic fortune is premised in part on the speed with which efforts are made to modernise and expand the country’s infrastructure. “The need to invest in infrastructure for job creation, the expansion of industries and the growth of the private sector is paramount in a growing economy. As such, eliminating the infrastructure deficit, including linking our heavily populated coastland to our rich, arable and pristine hinterland communities, continues to guide investments in the sector,” he told the National Assembly.
To this end the Finance Minister said too that the need for new, higher -capacity, fixed bridge across the Demerara River is evident, given the aging out of the existing bridge. The feasibility study for a new bridge has since been completed and calls for the Expressions of interest have been made. The Government has since received 11 Expressions of Interests for the design, build, own, operate and transfer option for the new Demerara River Bridge.
According to a feasibility study conducted by LIEVENSE CSO, the new bridge is estimated to cost US$170M. BAM International of the Netherlands; Ballast Nedam of the Netherlands; AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd. of India; Coema Pais Landscaping Organisation and Services Limited of Brazil in partnership with Sanches Tripoloni Limited of Brazil; China Civil Engineering Corporation of China; China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Company Limited and AVIC Intelligence Measurement Company of China in a joint venture; China Communication Construction Company Ltd., CITIC Construction Company Ltd. and China Railway 17 Euro Group Company Ltd. in a joint venture; China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd.; SINO Hydro Corporation Ltd of China; Puentes y Infraestructuras of Spain; Oas engenharia e construcao of Brazil ; and China TIESIJU Civil Engineering Group Co. Ltd. are the 11 companies that have submitted tenders.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson said his ministry is pleased with the submissions. He said his government will work assiduously to ensure that the construction of the bridge is done soonest.
As it relates to the hinterland bridges, Jordan disclosed that along the Georgetown-Lethem gateway, a feasibility study and design is being done for a bridge across the Kurupukari River. In this regard some $840.4M has been set aside in the budget to facilitate the structure along with other bridge improvement initiatives next year.
Meanwhile, Minister Jordan noted that his administration is aware of the need to protect the country’s low-lying coastland and noted that some $2.4B has been budgeted to improve the country’s sea defence. He pointed specifically to the construction and rehabilitation of sea defence structures to be done at Ruimzeigt/Waller‘s Delight, DeWillem, Grove/Look Out, Pomeroon, Cottage (Mahaicony), and Uitvlugt.
Additionally, some $250M has been allocated in the 2018 budget for the servicing of riverine areas and utilising of under-exploited river ways to facilitate economic activity. As such, the stellings at Bartica and Leguan will be upgraded next year, while an additional sum of $160M has been allocated to support the reconstruction of the Vreed-en-Hoop and Stabroek stellings, into modern water taxi terminals.
