– as deadline approaches

SEVERAL projects in the township of Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), need to catch up and are facing termination.

This is according to a Facebook post on the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar’s page, where during a community consultation and road inspections, he updated residents on the progress of various road projects in the township.

One of the road projects on the chopping block at Mahdia is the incomplete construction project on the concrete road at Danjah Street, which the minister said will be cancelled since it is well beyond its completion date.

“Only 42 per cent of the $60.5M concrete road project was executed,” the Facebook post read.

Another $87 million concrete road project at Mahdia, with nearly three years of delays with excuses ranging from poor weather patterns and stone shortage to equipment malfunction, was called for to be terminated by Minister Indar.

“This is no longer a project with K&P [Project Management] and the Government of Guyana. I am instructing the Permanent Secretary to cancel it,” Minister Indar said on an inspection visit.

Minister Indar dispelled the weather excuse by showing the contractor the tan on his skin and that of residents as indicative of the scorching heat.

In addition to the road project being behind its extended September 2022 deadline, the completed portion of the road is laced with structural issues.

Meanwhile, Minister Deodat Indar upbraided the contractor responsible for completing a $108.6M concrete road (500 metres) within the Mahdia township.

When questioned by Minister Indar on why preparatory works were not done, the foreman blamed the weather.

This attracted a sharp rebuke from Minister Indar and the residents, who claim the weather has been mostly favourable.

“At the strike of one month from now, if this road isn’t done, consider your contract done,” Minister Indar stated.

Minister Indar said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration intends to build capacity in the township to execute infrastructural works.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and other local leaders at Mahdia accompanied him.