–plans to create over 20 jobs 

AN anticipated increase in economic activities along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has prompted a local company, J.S.B Investments Incorporated, to explore the possibility of establishing a state-of-the-art, heavy-duty machinery and equipment sales and services centre within the area.

As outlined by the company in a project summary seen by the Guyana Chronicle, the facility will be one of the first of its kind along the highway.

Stretching across two acres of land, the complex will house a heavy-duty services centre, machinery and equipment showroom, wash bay, administrative block, fuel and lubricants storage, and dispensation building, among other things.

The estimated cost of this massive project is $85 million, which, according to the company, will cover construction of the required building, infrastructure, and the procurement of machinery and equipment.

“There will also be heavy-duty machinery and equipment, trucks, and construction and road-building equipment inventory to an estimated value of G$3,000,000,000,” J.S.B Investments said.

Once operational, the massive complex will create direct employment for more than 20 persons, while there will be spin-off benefits for other stakeholders.

The contributions of this project to the local economy would add to those which accrue from the company’s existing wharf facility located at Block R Soesdyke and other operations.

Its potential operation along the highway will be well positioned to support work on the Linden to Lethem Road, the planned establishment of a secondary city in the Soesdyke area, and other transformative projects on the cards.

Overall, J.S.B Investment Incorporated’s project would support the construction boom and general transformation of the country’s infrastructural landscape.

It was reported that Guyana’s vibrant construction industry is expected to grow by 10.5 per cent in 2022.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during his presentation of Budget 2022 in January, had said: “Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to filling the substantial infrastructural gaps that exist across our nation. In 2022, we will continue to invest heavily in construction projects across all sectors, alongside major projects coming from private-sector investment initiatives.”
Available estimates from the Bank of Guyana show that the construction sector grew by 29.8 per cent in 2021 when compared with 2020.
“[This is] underpinned by both the major public infrastructure buildout that is currently underway, as well as increased private-sector activity in industrial, commercial, and residential construction,” Dr. Singh related.

Last year, it was widely reported that from the housing sector to the agricultural sector, there was the mobilisation of resources from both private and public-sector stakeholders, who laid the foundation to capitalise on the impending local growth.

Private projects, as reported, ranged from the construction of hotels and apartment complexes, to shopping complexes and office buildings, among other things.

In the public sector, aside from constructing several low-income houses and houses for young professionals, there were upgrades to highways, main roads, and miscellaneous roads countrywide. This was also supplemented by the commencement of construction of new roads.

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.

This year, 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.