MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma, on Friday last, met with concerned residents of Houston and Agricola, East Bank Demerara who were assured that their road and major bridge respectively will be examined by engineers shortly, with a view to having them fixed.

Accompanying Minister Sharma on the visit was the Mayor of Georgetown, His Worship Ubraj Narine. Together, they listened to the complaints highlighted by the residents in Back Street, Houston. The leaders were told that the street has been lined with potholes for years and has become almost impassable when it rains, posing major problems especially for students who would use the road to get to school.

Minister Sharma explained to the residents that the rehabilitation of the road and the construction of concrete drains could cost about $80 million, considering its length. However, to allow for a faster solution, the minister explained that he will examine the possibility of a crush and run surface on the street for an immediate resolution. He added that an asphaltic concrete layer will be done if there are sufficient funds.

Over at Agricola, Minister Sharma and the Mayor’s attention was brought to a tyre shop on the public road which had tires blocking off access to the walkways and large vehicles encumbering the public road. As a result of this action, Minister Sharma was told that children attending schools in the vicinity are forced to walk on the major public road since the pavement is usually encumbered by vehicles seeking the services of the tyre shop.
Residents were advised by Minister Sharma to seek the intervention of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and City Hall as well as the Guyana Police Force. Further along, the Mayor and Minister visited Flour Mill Road where a pedestrian bridge, over a trench, was in a notably deplorable state. One resident complained to Minister Sharma that a child recently broke her hand after falling from the bridge when a rotted board broke. The resident added that the condition of the bridge is especially dangerous since the trench is infested with snakes.

Minister Sharma committed to sourcing the materials as early as possible to facilitate the bridge’s rehabilitation. The bridge has reportedly been in a bad state for over 20 years, according to one resident who recalled using the said bridge to get to school. She explained that to date, schoolchildren from Sol Road and other nearby streets would cross the bridge to get to their various educational institutions.