–Finance Minister says

AS the government continues to work on improving the country’s infrastructure, the planned upgrade works on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway could be finalised later this year.

Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh made this disclosure at a recent contract signing for another road upgrade project.

During his feature remarks at the signing ceremony, the finance minister stated that a team from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is currently in the country, working along with counterparts at the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Finance on the highway project.

The upgrade, which will see the highway being repaved, is expected to cost some US$120 million. In recent months, government officials have mentioned that they are hoping that the Islamic Development Bank approves funding for the project soon.

To this end, the finance minister said: “That project, we anticipate being approved in September of this year, which will see the Soesdyke-to-Linden Highway subject to a major upgrade.”

Meanwhile, late last week, the Public Works Ministry announced that Minister Juan Edghill had met with a mission from the IsDB, as the government advances the development agenda for the Soesdyke-Linden Highway project.

The Ministry said that the team was led by Atiq Ahmad, the Lead Global Transport Specialist-Economic and Social Infrastructure Department, General Directorate for Global Practices and Partnerships of the IsDB.

During the meeting with the mission, Minister Edghill spoke about the importance of the project, even as he mentioned that it is expected to benefit all communities and regions. He noted that the highway is the main road link that connects Guyana’s coast to Linden and further afield in the country’s interior regions.