AIMING to produce regular sand for the local market, and washed and screened sand for the international market, Guyanese broadcaster and developer, Anthony Vieira, is hoping to invest US$1.4 million to develop a sand quarry at Dora, Demerara River.

A project summary was recently submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for review.

According to the project summary, the project will see 300,000 metric tonnes of sand being mined and produced annually from the Anthony Vieira Sand Quarry over a mine life of five years.

Quarrying operations are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2023 once all regulatory approvals are obtained and the project will see about 25 persons being employed for the five-year life span.

The project summary also related that through the project’s capital investment and the initial life of five years, the estimated annual turnover pre-tax is US$536,068 (GY$116,862,824).

With this investment, Vieira hopes to meet the growing demand for sand.

Building on the progress made in 2022 through increased public and private investments, Guyana’s vibrant construction industry has been expanding even further in 2023, with continued expansion anticipated in the coming years.

With the local construction industry also expanding further this year, this growth is linked to massive investments by government in new and improved roads and bridges, housing developments, educational and health facilities, agricultural infrastructure, and private sector investment in the oil and gas and hospitality industries.