THE Ministry of Public Works will soon embark on a massive programme to rehabilitate a number of connecting roads on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to the tune of $1 billion.
A total of $560 million was saved from the $9.6 billion project to widen and improve roads on the ECD and a total of $440 million was allocated in this year’s budget for road works on the East Coast of Demerara stretch; it is these monies which will be used to rehabilitate 24 connecting roads.

Subject Minister, Juan Edghill, in an invited comment earlier last week, told the Sunday Chronicle that the road upgrades are part of the government’s primary plan to develop and upgrade infrastructure across the country.

The villages of Success, Triumph, Mon Repos, Lusignan, Annandale, Buxton, Friendship, Vigilance, Strathspey, and Enmore are set to benefit from this road rehabilitation.
Connector roads are those roads which go north or south from the main access roads and serve as an entrance and exit from those communities along the East Coast Corridor.

The roads slated for upgrades are School and Chimney Road in Success; Surat Drive, Dr. Miller Street and Agriculture Road, Triumph; Melsha Road, School Street, Mon-Repos Market Road, Third Cross Street, Mon Repos; Lusignan main access road; Main Market Road, Main Road South, Annandale; Church of God Road, Middle Walk, Company Path, Buxton; Middle Walk, Friendship; Vigilance road network; the main access road, Strathspey; and Enmore main access road network.

In 2014, the Government of Guyana and the People’s Republic of China signed a G$9.6 billion (US$45.5 million) concessional loan for completion of the widening of the road between Better Hope and Belfield; Guyana contributed some $2.7 billion to the project.

Minister Edghill disclosed that the Government of Guyana received approval from its counterparts in China to utilize the $560 million saved from the completion of the work last year to conduct work on the roads that will connect to the main access roads along the East Coast corridor.

Minister Edghill noted that the government’s vision is to ensure continued advancement and this was the basis for the selection of the roads for rehabilitation. He noted that with the main access road on the ECD corridor upgraded, the government saw the need to ensure that those connecting roads are rehabilitated to foster a smoother flow of traffic.

Further, he said the impending work will significantly improve the standard of living of residents who reside in the targeted communities.

“One of the most notable benefits of these and any road upgrades are that it will reduce travel time; persons can expect to get to and from their destinations more safely and with less hassle,” the Public Works Minister stated.

The project is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed by December 2021.