–Minister Croal says, as tenders to open this week

MINISTER of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has said that some $200 million has been earmarked for the upgrading of roads in Herstelling and Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara.
Minister Croal made this statement during his guest appearance on 94.1 Boom FM ‘Jump Start’ programme, on Tuesday.
“This project is to move some of the main road to asphaltic and some of the others where we are starting up at least to the crusher run. I can tell you that the tenders should be opened some time this week. So, very shortly after the weather, those works will commence,” the minister related, adding that a concrete bridge will also be constructed to replace the wooden structure at Herstelling. Minister Croal said there are also plans to rehabilitate roads in housing schemes countrywide that were neglected over the past five years. His ministry will be collaborating with the ministries of Public Works and Local Government and Regional Development to carry out the upgrades under the budgetary programme, miscellaneous road project.

Additionally, Minister Croal said construction will soon start on the young professional homes in Region 10.
“Very shortly you will see Amelia’s Ward coming on stream. We are building about 40 houses this year, and after that we have Region Six in the Hampshire area,” he said.
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, first announced the construction of homes for young professionals during an outreach to Linden in January.
Similar structures will be built in Cummings Lodge, Prospect, Providence, Little Diamond and Great Diamond, all in Region Four; Onderneeming and Wales in Region Three; and at Ordnance/Fortlands, Hampshire and Williamsburg in Region Six. The ministry is building 1,000 young professional and low-income housing units this year as part of the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s National Housing Development Programme. It was reported that the PPP/C Government is committed to allocating 50,000 house lots over five years, averaging 10,000 lots per year. The ministry has since held several housing drives where close to 4,000 lots were allocated. (DPI)