– Minister Croal assures

AMID concerns over road accessibility to the Guyana National Stadium for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has clarified that contrary to rumors, the stadium will be accessible via Massy Road (Red Road), Winsor Estate Road, and Green Field Road.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Croal emphasised the importance of widening these highways for the country’s overall growth and development. Despite the roads not being completed entirely as anticipated, he assured the public that they will be “usable” in time for the cricket matches.

The housing minister has reported that there are three roads encircling the stadium area, where extensive construction activities are presently taking place. However, “I must say that contrary to what rumours are out there regarding accessibility or if the public will be able to use it, I am saying that it will be usable in time for cricket, and the contractors are working overtime to make sure that this happens.”

“The Green Field Road leads to the VIP entrance to the stadium; in terms of the Massy Road/ Red Road, and the Winsor Estate Road, I can say that they are close to 60 per cent complete. And by the end of May, which is in time for cricket, it is our intention to have all the roads reach the first stage of having the prime coat level, or a first stage of crush and run, which will make it passable in time for cricket.”

In response, Minister Croal affirmed their capacity to conclude the final bitumen surface, with an expected completion date of June.
“With so many activities that are happening in the vicinity due to the cricket, the completion of the road will be done in full by the end of June. Even though the rain is upon us, it is not expected that there will be any significant setbacks or interferences that will take the project beyond the timeline that we would have set,” he added.

Minister Croal underscored the importance of enduring temporary discomfort in order to enhance one’s quality of life amidst road construction inconveniences. Additionally, he stated that the advantages of road expansion and improvement significantly surpass any inconvenience.

He noted, “There will be some inconveniences associated with infrastructural development anywhere in the world, but in the end, hundreds of thousands of people will benefit from the improved and enhanced access to these road networks.

These roads that are being down are not just surrounding the cricket stadium but are also intertwined with the development of the overpass for the Demerara Harbour Bridge, which are also main access points that one can use when connecting to the East Coast of Demerara.”

Acknowledging the extensive ongoing infrastructural work, Minister Croal commended the contractors for their diligent efforts to ensure timely completion of the task.
“For this project, I must say that I am pleased with the contractors and their dedication towards getting the job done. They have to work in conjunction with the utility companies; with the road widening, they had to also move GWI pipelines and utility cables, among many other challenges that they were faced with. However, they did not give up.

These types of work require skills; it is not just about digging up the sides of the roads, and I must say that we are also concreting the drains, which will also bring ease to the residents as well as the businesses in the area.”

During a recent interview with Bishop Juan Edghill, the Minister of Public Works expressed his satisfaction with certain infrastructure projects, while also urging the public to be understanding of the inconveniences caused by these developments.
According to him, “Considering that this area is the hub for several businesses and one of the main access roads to the Providence scheme, we are aware of the vehicular traffic as well as the people that are traversing the roads on a daily basis. The widening of these main access roads may be of inconvenience to many, but we are asking that you have some patience. This will benefit all of us when it is finished.”