THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure expended some $70 million dollars as they continued to brighten the lives of residents in the East Berbice areas. This sum was spent on street lights, illuminating almost 90 per cent of the region since the coalition government took office.
According to the Project Coordinator of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s (MoPI) Traffic and Safety Maintenance Department, Kester Hinds, $43.5M was spent between Palmyra to Moleson Creek alone, while $31M was used up on the East Bank of Berbice area from Stanleytown to Everton.
Previously, areas such as Borlam and Number 19 Village on the Corentyne were “pitch black” at night and known for numerous accidents due to poor visibility. They are now fitted with state of the art LED lights equipped with photocell sensors, much to the delight of residents especially drivers. Areas such as Alness, Ulverston, Salton and Hogstye, were among the communities that were lit-up for the first time.
For the East Bank area, some nine communities starting from Stanleytown to Everton received lights for the first time, shedding much-needed light on a once dark and seemingly forgotten area of the country.
Speaking with this publication, residents expressed gratitude to the MoPI for the wonderful job done, especially the illumination of the once isolated areas.
“I am very happy cause now you can see clearly in the nights and drive with ease. But I am overjoyed because areas like 19 and Tarlogie get lights. You see, before, you does be praying to God that you don’t break down or get a puncture there because it dark no hell and nobody living there. Now you ain’t gotta worry cause it bright as day” Clifford
Durant, a taxi driver, related.
The project commenced in 2018 and rolled over to January 2019 and saw the installation of some 325 lights for 2018 alone in Region Six. In addition, several non-functioning or defective lamps were replaced with more energy efficient LED lights across the entire region.
Hinds continued that while the aim is to place lights in every community the focus has now shifted to the West Coast Berbice and the Essequibo Coast for 2019, since most of the critical areas for Region Six were covered.
Since ascension to office, the coalition government, through the MoPI, has expended massive sums in Region Six as they continue to try to improve the physical landscape of the entire country. For 2019, a sum of $38.5B was allocated to the MoPI to carry out developmental works throughout the country.
