RESIDENTS of Stewartville on the West Coast of Demerara are expected to see outstanding road works accelerated and completed ahead of the holiday season, following a community engagement with Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.
On Friday, the minister, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Public Works, met with residents and community leaders in the Sarah Lodge area of Stewartville during a walkabout to assess ongoing road works and address infrastructure concerns affecting daily life. The visit formed part of the government’s ongoing outreach across Guyana and included inspections of roads, entrances, and footpaths, as well as direct engagement with residents impacted by uneven surfaces, poor drainage, and restricted access during periods of rainfall.
During the engagement, issues surrounding disrupted entrances to homes, raised or uneven footpaths and uncleared road shoulders were highlighted as key challenges. Residents explained that these problems have made it difficult to move around safely and, in some cases, have prevented vehicles from accessing their homes. Minister Edghill assured residents that immediate interventions would be implemented to address the concerns raised. He indicated that all entrances affected by the road works would be restored and that adjustments would be made to correct footpath elevation where needed.
According to the minister, the government’s approach is to improve conditions in communities, including improved access, better roads and safer walkways, stating, “We are going to restore all the entrances that have been interrupted, including getting this footpath elevation fixed. A team with a bobcat and a mini excavator will come into the area in a couple of hours or tomorrow latest and start clearing the shoulders and help to do some drainage work as well.” He added, “Our government does not come to an area and leave it the way we met it.”
Kishan Jaisingh, an engineering technician attached to the Ministry of Public Works, who accompanied the minister on the walkabout, said that works highlighted will be completed ahead of the holiday season. Jaisingh noted that several matters were identified during the visit, including approximately 300 metres of roadway which remains to be completed, an issue which was raised with Minister Edghill. Notably, Jaisingh said the ministry and contractors have committed to ensuring that key aspects of the road works are completed in time for Christmas.
“There are some outstanding roads here. For the Sarah Lodge Road network itself, we have 300-meter roads outstanding. It did come up, and we have to ensure that certain aspects of the road finish by time Christmas and we will make it happen,” Jaisingh said.
Moreover, ministry representatives emphasised that these works are part of an ongoing coordinated effort to ensure that residents can safely and comfortably access their homes, with some 1.2 kilometres of road already having been completed and plans already in place for works in 2026.

Residents also expressed appreciation for the minister’s presence and the opportunity to voice their concerns. Stewartville resident Bibi Haniff shared her experience with drainage problems and poor road conditions, explaining how these issues have affected her mobility and access to transportation. She said the road works initiative is especially important for elderly residents, as improved roads would prevent people from having to walk through mud and would allow taxis to enter the area more easily. According to Haniff, when roads are in poor condition, taxis often refuse to travel into the community, leaving older residents at a disadvantage when trying to move around or attend to daily needs.
“This is a good initiative because it saves us from having to walk in mud, and taxis will now bring us home and take us back. Because if the road is bad, the taxi will not bring us, and people like me, old people, need our taxis so that we could move around,” she added, “I compliment the government on what they are doing, they are doing a very good job for us.”
The Stewartville walkabout reflects the government’s broader focus on community engagement, with officials using on-the-ground assessments to guide remedial actions and ensure that infrastructure projects meet the practical needs of residents. With commitments from engineers and contractors to complete outstanding works ahead of Christmas, and with drainage and access issues set to be addressed in the coming days, residents are hopeful that the improvements will bring lasting relief and safer, more reliable road conditions to the community.