THE foundation for stronger infrastructure is continuing to be laid, as $209.3 billion has been allocated to develop roads and bridges, this year.

This was announced by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, when he presented Budget 2025 in the National Assembly, on Friday.

This year, $252.8 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Public Works to pursue a number of innovative projects.

One project is the Palmyra to Moleson Creek highway for which roughly $15.5 billion was allocated.

Regarding the new Demerara River Bridge, which is expected to be completed this year, $20.2 billion has been allocated. For continued works on the Railway Embankment project, $17.5 billion has been allocated.

Also, the Linden-Soesdyke Highway project received an allocation of $9 billion in this year’s budget.

While reminding both sides of the National Assembly of the lack of works done on the Wismar Bridge under the previous government, the Minister said that the construction of that project is advancing rapidly under the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

This year, $2.1 billion is budgeted to advance works on the bridge.

The Linden-Mabura Hill Road, along with 45 concrete bridges along the route from Mabura to Lethem will be catered for under the $12.9 billion allocation.

On the topic of community roads, the budget has been increased to $53.2 billion, and for hinterland roads, $9 billion is slated to be spent in 2025.
Since assuming office in 2020, the governing PPP/C has not only rehabilitated and constructed a number of community roads, but it has also established major transformational projects, which have drastically improved the lives of all Guyanese.

Some of these projects, as highlighted by Minister Singh, include: Heroes Highway, Mocha to Diamond interlink road, Sherriff/Mandela Road and the East Coast Road Project, to name a few.

Over 4,000 community roads and muddy dams have been converted into durable concrete or asphalt surfaces, he said.
Despite infrastructure being the backbone for development, the minister highlighted that this sector was not prioritized under the previous administration, like other sectors.

Dr. Singh recalled that the previous A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)’s governance was characterised by no new major investments in Guyana’s transport infrastructure.

He said: “This lack of vision, resulted in severe traffic congestion on our highways, dilapidated community roads as a result of neglect, reversing the progress that we have made before, and atrocious hinterland roads, hindering access to hinterland and riverine communities. As soon as we assumed the office, we sought to correct this.”