–68 projects in the pipeline to create over 300 jobs

CRITICAL infrastructure in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), will soon be upgraded and rehabilitated, as the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) rolls out a $550 million infrastructure project over the next few months.

The project, which forms part of the region’s overall 2021 Infrastructure Budget, encompasses work across five areas: health, education, public works, agriculture and administration, according to the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 10, Dwight John.

The REO, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, said that there are 68 projects in the pipeline and those will create over 300 jobs for persons from the region.

Specifically, of the budgeted sum, some $53 million was allocated for the rehabilitation of the Amelia’s Ward Primary School. There are also plans to repair and maintain several primary and nursery schools along the Berbice and Demerara Rivers.

Additionally, there are provisions for the rehabilitation of the Wisroc Nursery School, the construction of a nursery school at Hururu, the establishment of a health workers’ and teachers’ quarters at Muritaro, and the construction of a health centre at Blue Berry Hill.

John said too that contracts have been awarded for the upgrading of seven roads and the central drainage system at McKenzie. There are also plans to extend the agriculture office in the region to accommodate more employees and offer more services.

Early this month, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, was quoted as saying that additional upgrades would be undertaken on highways, main roads and miscellaneous roads countrywide.
In Region Six, Minister Edghill had cut the ceremonial ribbon for the spanking new $108.1 million road which serves as the first phase for the construction of the main road from Everton to Mara, East Bank Berbice.

Edghill recently announced too that another $60 million has been secured to start rehabilitation works at another section of the road.

Additionally, roads were reopened at Short Man Street and John Lewis Street in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam and Post Office Road, Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam. These projects were contracted to various companies and cost $63.9 million altogether.

Prior to that, some $250 million were spent to construct and upgrade 14 roads along the West Coast of Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), specifically in the communities of Uitvlugt, Tuschen, Zeelugt, Hydronie and Parika.

Added to that, some $543.6 million has been invested to upgrade several roads along the East Coast Demerara (ECD) corridor.

Information released by the government show that a total of 27 roads valued at $458.6 million were built in the Better Hope/La Bonne Intention Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) area alone, while another $88 million was spent to repair roads in the area governed by the Plaisance/Industry NDC.

In addition to providing improved road facilities, the ongoing works have also added to the creation of thousands of jobs, bringing the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration closer to delivering on its promise to create at least 50,000 jobs within the next five years.

During this year alone, the government has plans to expend some $172.4 billion, or 45 per cent of its $383.1 billion budget on education, public infrastructure and healthcare.
Of this sum, $58.2 billion worth of planned expenditure on public infrastructure is the second largest component of the government’s fiscal programme.

On the capital side, the budget for infrastructure is $32.9 billion, or 32 per cent of the total allocation for 2021. The country’s aggregate capital provision for this year is $103 billion.

Further, the government’s total budget for road programmes is $23.7 billion, $7.9 billion of which will go specifically towards the development of community roads. Of the budgeted sum, $2.1 billion has been set aside for hinterland roads, and the rehabilitation of a number of hinterland airstrips.