THE construction of the Linden to Lethem Highway is among infrastructural projects the Government of Guyana hopes China will finance under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Monday, told reporters that several public infrastructure and social projects are being considered, and the construction of the Linden to Lethem Highway is among the lot. Back in July, Guyana and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation within the Framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, creating an avenue for Guyana to benefit significantly in the areas infrastructure development, trade and investment and other critical areas of mutual interest.
Minister Harmon noted that while the MoU has been signed, and a framework is in place, the process must take its course. “It is not as if you have the Belt and Road Initiative signed and therefore every project that you put up will receive funding, it still has to be interrogated properly to ensure that all of the requirements for funding are met,” the State Minister explained while fielding questions from reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency.
Minister Harmon noted that the Linden to Lethem Road Project has been on the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government’s agenda since it took office in 2015.
Late December, Guyana and Brazil indicated that they will be working closely with China to access a US$50B China Select Fund to help construct the road. Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge has long emphasised the importance of the road link in facilitating trade.
“The region of Roraima will not only provide Guyana with markets into Brazil and into Roraima, but in terms of volume, a larger volume of movement will be involved so as to get Brazil’s products, agriculture or otherwise, into the international markets by the route that turns out to be a lot cheaper than the route that they currently use, so it is a value to both sides,” Minister Greenidge explained earlier this year.
Already, Guyana and China have signed a Framework Agreement to implement the Guyana National Broadband Project. This agreement, which was signed last Saturday, will see the upgrading of the network to enable an equitable delivery of service in the education, health, security, business and other sectors. Guyana is the 74th country to sign onto the Belt and Road Initiative, which was also signed unto by 28 international organisations.
Guyana and China established diplomatic relations in 1972.
