IN revolutionising Guyana’s infrastructural landscape, a first-of-its-kind sustainable housing community and eco-lodge centre will be developed along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor.
This was announced by President, Dr, Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, during an inspection of ongoing road works in the area.

He related that the new housing design will target young, low-income earners. Already, some 20 acres of land have been set aside for the sustainable housing community aback of Diamond, EBD.

The Head of State related that the community will feature a futuristic greenhouse which will allow residents to produce their own food, specifically high-valued crops. The community, he anticipates, will be powered solely by solar panels.

“Young low-income homeowners are going to live within that plot; they are going to do high valued crops, and they are going to sell the crop that will repay loans. We are going to put solar panels on top of it to help with their power during the day,” the President said.

Works on this project are expected to commence shortly.

“This is a new approach, and this is the area that I find tremendous joy in planning. That is a new design that you will see coming up in a pilot,” Dr. Ali said.

Meanwhile, the government is looking to complete the eco lodge centre by September for the influx of visitors for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Cricket Carnival.
“We are going to launch the first urban eco-lodge centre, where we will have 30 wooden eco-lodges,” Dr. Ali said.

Meanwhile, as it relates to the ongoing efforts to complete the Eccles to Diamond four-lane highway, contractors have been given a new date to complete all remaining and delayed works.
The massive $13.3 billion project was expected to be completed by August; however, contractors reported that bad weather conditions were among several challenges they faced which resulted in works being set back.

However, the President issued stern warnings to both the engineers and contractors that no further delays or excuses will be tolerated.

With Guyana heading out of its torrential rainy season and weather conditions improving, President Ali said that contractors should implement multiple shift systems to benefit from the good weather.

“I’m looking for lights; we have excellent weather conditions right now. I said this before, we have to make use of weather opportunity days, and works that are behind. I am expecting to see lights out there, I am expecting to see systems in place for at least three-shift systems. This is not only the contractors; this is the engineers that I have a problem with, who are not ensuring the systems are put in place. I spoke about this on many, many occasions,” he added.

Contractors are expected to complete all works by September 10.

“We have enough experience now at hand to know what exactly needs to be done. All of you are working on major projects now; you know exactly what you’re doing when it comes to managing your project within the changes in the weather pattern,” the President said.

He further cautioned that if contractors are unable to deliver within the time frame, penalties will be applied.

“Anything beyond the new dates, liquidated charges will be applied; anything beyond this date is not justifiable,” he said sternly.