APPROXIMATELY $3 billion will be expended this year to enhance over 1,000 community roads in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall has said.
Minister Dharamlall, who was accompanied by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, during a recent Cabinet outreach to Region Six, spoke with residents of Bushlot, Wellington Park and Eversham.
“… as soon as we are able to allocate resources, we will start the construction, but I can assure you that while we would like to do all, and we are working to do all in these communities, this phase, it will be based on priority,” the minister said.
The potential works are intended to modernise the infrastructure and provide accessible commute to residents.
It is also in keeping with government’s manifesto promise to significantly improve the lives of residents within the respective communities.
Last year, there was some $58.2 billion worth of planned expenditure on public infrastructure. On the capital side, the budget for infrastructure was $32.9 billion, or 32 per cent of the total allocation for 2021.
Addressing the plans for this year, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill had said that the intention is to have innovative and modern public infrastructure.
The government has allocated the largest portion of its milestone $552.9 billion Budget 2022 to the Ministry of Public Works. A total of $96.1 billion has been allocated to the ministry, which is responsible for the country’s infrastructure.

Further, the government has allocated some $76.7 billion for roads and bridges under the Ministry of Public Works in the 2022 budget.
Another component of public infrastructure is the construction of houses and the accompanying facilities to make the environment conducive to living. To this end, the government has allocated $12.4 billion for further development of the housing sector.
“With the construction boom underway, particularly pertaining to the rapid expansion in housing and road projects, the development and expansion of the other mining and quarrying subsector is crucial,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had said.
This expansion, he related, has the potential of lowering construction costs since the abundance of local, readily available resources could ease the impact of imported inflationary pressure on the cost of key construction materials.
In an area related to construction and manufacturing, there is expected to be significant growth by the end of this year.
“Improved performance is anticipated for all manufacturing industries in 2022. Sugar, rice and other manufacturing are expected to expand by 11.8 per cent, 28.6 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively.
“Growth in value-added from sugar and rice manufacturing reflect developments in cultivation and harvesting. In the case of other manufacturing, we can expect further expansion in the manufacturing of non-metallic products like cement and chemical products, as well as in the manufacturing of fabricated metal products,” Dr. Singh said.