A LOAN programme worth US$117 million was launched on Tuesday to improve a section of the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor and make life easier for the residents in the area. The programme aims to facilitate the rehabilitation of the corridor.

This new loan programme was launched at the Guyana Marriott Hotel and is a partnership between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Ministry of Public Works, and the Ministry of Finance.

The contract for this loan was signed in March for a total of US$117M of which US$100M will be provided by the IDB and US$17M will be provided by the Government of Guyana. The programme is also expected to support climate-resilient road infrastructure development and will develop a 23.5-kilometre stretch from Good Success to Timehri.

The main objective of this project is to advance Guyana’s safe, efficient, and climate-resilient road and associated infrastructure and to improve road service quality and utility service along the East Bank corridor.

Delivering feature remarks at the launch, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill stated that the importance of this project cannot be overemphasised, even as he noted that the IDB’s investment of US$100M is worthwhile as it is an investment towards the development agenda of a massive transformation that is taking place in Guyana currently.

He said many would have seen this almost 24-kilometre stretch of road with local support; the government was pushed to do some development works before the loan was even signed.
“The residents of the East Bank corridor where this road serves, I’m sure as important stakeholders, will be satisfied,” he said while adding that rehabilitating a road that is heavily trafficked is no walk in the park.

According to Edghill, while this road is under construction with the expected traffic volume, the government has made significant investments and interventions to create alternative bypasses to ease the flow.

He added that with the creation of alternative routes, they have been putting in bridges and working on internal roads to facilitate that.

The Public Works Minister said that this project also entails fixing some ancillary roads, bridges and culverts to ensure a comprehensive approach and that while this thoroughfare is being developed, others are not neglected.

Edghill stated, “Guyana is on a move, everybody can visibly see the developments that are taking place and one of the things that we have to remedy is that while we are building something, we are not breaking something else.”

While contracts for the road works have not yet been tendered, he noted that contractors and the project team must be aware that it will be one that will have to be done around the clock, as he noted that lots of the work would have to be done at night.

However, he indicated that with these intended works, inconveniences should be expected even as he mentioned that the ministry would ensure that residents in the various areas are engaged to ensure that they are updated on the project.

“We have developed a policy that wherever a project is going to be undertaken, the community must be consulted… they must know exactly what is going on, there must be systems of feedback [and] engagement,” he added.

Meanwhile, according to Project Manager at the Public Works Ministry, Mark Greene, the East Bank Highway was last rehabilitated under a loan almost 30 years ago, and since then, the Ministry of Public Works has dealt with the process of maintaining the road.

It was indicated that the road has reached its design life, and this loan programme will not only rehabilitate and maintain the roadway but also improve its safety for all road users.
Greene added that the main focus as it relates to the infrastructure works would be the almost 24-kilometre stretch of rehabilitation, where they will not only focus on rehabilitation but also put facilities in place for safe use by non-motorised traffic, more specifically pedestrians and cyclists.

It will also improve drainage and street lights along the corridor.

In March of this year, the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh signed the agreement for this loan programme among others in Trinidad and Tobago.

At that time, the Minister said the loan would support transportation infrastructure as the East Bank Demerara Highway is a major artery. It was noted that the artery is also a critical one given its connectivity to Guyana’s major airport, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and connectivity to the Soesdyke to Linden Highway and the future development of Silica City.