IN keeping with the government’s strategic plan to significantly improve and enhance infrastructure across the country, the Ministry of Public works has set aside some $500 million for major road works in several communities in Region One (Barima-Waini).

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, in an invited comment on Saturday, said that the scheduled road upgrades are part of the government’s roadmap for growth and advancement in the local economy.

Edghill told the Sunday Chronicle that many of the roads are in extremely deplorable state, with several sections described by residents as impassable. He noted that the upgrades will significantly improve the lives of residents in the targeted communities, as it will directly provide opportunities for improved commerce and innovation across the hinterland.

Rehabilitative works will be done on 500 metres of the road at Compound Road, Mabaruma; one kilometre of the road at the Moruca main access road; a section of road from Matthew’s Ridge to Baramita is also slated for upgrading.

Minister Edghill pointed out that all subdivisions of the region are set to see minor rehabilitative works on smaller internal roads to ensure that the infrastructure correlates and allows for an all-round better travel experience.

Minister Edghill explained that these rehabilitative works will involve the construction of new, rigid pavement concrete roads as a way to modernise the infrastructure and provide more accessible commutes to and from those communities.

He noted that the work will facilitate the reopening of several roads that previously remained impassable, which cost the residents significantly.

“It’s going to significantly and positively benefit the lives of people, one: they’ll have greater accessibility; they will have greater access to government services such as health and education; would be able to move freely and also it gives the people with the movement that could take place for them to be economically sustainable in their employment.

“They can get involved in mining and forestry because they can get in and get out back to their families,” the Public Works Minister told this newspaper.
He emphasised that improved roads would mean reduced travel time as well as fuel-cost reduction.

“Some of these roads are impassable but with these upgrades, persons would be able to traverse them with any form of transportation. So, business persons can expect to use less fuel to get their products in these communities and that would benefit them; they, in turn, can reduce the cost attached to items and that would benefit the residents,” Minister Edghill said.