SEVENTY-four contracts totalling $1.3 billion have been awarded for road construction across several communities in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
Among communities in which the contracts will be executed are La Parfaite Harmonie, Onderneeming, Westminster, Recht Door Zee, and Lust-en-Rust.
The extensive infrastructure project was officially launched on Friday by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar at La Parfaite Harmonie.

Highlighting the importance of road development, Minister Indar noted that it fulfills a commitment made by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and complements an $8.4 billion road construction initiative that began in June.
“When the President makes a commitment, it is not water on duck’s back; it has to be followed through with action, and this is the follow-through action,” the minister emphasised. In ‘Parfaite Harmonie’ alone, the ministry has identified 97 kilometres of roads for upgrade.

To date, 33.5 kilometres have been completed, with 63.5 kilometres still requiring work. Of this remaining amount, 15.4 kilometres of road were awarded for construction in June, with work scheduled to begin soon.
“And today, with 74 contracts, we are awarding an additional 18.9 kilometres of road construction,” Minister Indar announced. He added that while the construction of concrete roads is underway, the ministry will also rehabilitate the remaining 29 kilometres of main access roads in the area.

Additionally, the minister emphasised that this infrastructure development aligns with the government’s broader regional development agenda, which aims to boost investment and improve the living standards of citizens.
He also urged contractors to efficiently use the mobilisation advances provided, and warned that project extensions would not be granted lightly. The Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke to several contractors, who expressed their enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the community’s development.

Contractor Zoey Williams stated, “This is a wonderful initiative by the government, and it will benefit the community greatly. The current state of the roads is poor, and, once completed, the children and other residents will finally have standard roads to walk on.”

Another contractor, Sheik Hassan, noted the importance of engaging local contractors, saying, “It’s good to help contractors, because they have a better understanding of the community and its needs. Improving the streets will benefit everyone in the area.”

The extensive road project in the region speaks to the government’s commitment to improving the quality of life of all Guyanese. (DPI)