MINISTER of Public Works Juan Edghill on Saturday conducted a series of site visits across Region Four, including inspections at Aubrey Barker Road, Sophia and Dennis Street, as the government intensifies efforts to advance key infrastructural projects.
A major focus of the minister’s visit was Garnett Street, Campbellville, where he assessed ongoing works and engaged contractors on persistent challenges hindering the project’s completion, chief among them, delays caused by the relocation of utility poles and cables.
Speaking with residents and contractors during the afternoon site visit, Minister Edghill expressed satisfaction with the quality of work being executed on Garnett Street, but made it clear that the pace must improve if the project is to meet its January 26 completion target.
“The project time is the 26th of January. The team here is doing good work. I have no problem with the quality of the work, but the work needs to move faster,” Edghill told the Guyana Chronicle.

While acknowledging steady progress on construction, the minister pointed out that utility-related delays have repeatedly disrupted the project’s original timeline.
He stressed that such obstacles can no longer be tolerated, particularly for projects that have already been ongoing for an extended period.
“We have had issues with utilities, but this cannot continue to be a running problem. We have private utilities and we have public utilities,” Edghill said, adding pointedly, “One Communications and Digicel cannot hold up a government programme because they do not want to move a pole or they do not want to find the resources to move a cable.”
According to the minister, utility relocation has taken months, despite repeated engagements, prompting government to issue firmer instructions to ensure progress. Contractors, he said, have now been directed to move ahead if utilities fail to act within a three-day window.
“It has been months we are waiting on them and I have just told the guys, if within three days they do not get it done, just move the pole,” Edghill stated. “Whatever the consequences, let them answer to the people because they are being paid for that service. We cannot hold up a government project for that.”
Edghill emphasised that national infrastructural programmes must proceed in the public interest and that service providers have a responsibility to facilitate—not obstruct—development.

The minister also addressed concerns raised by residents along Garnett Street, noting that prior communication was issued and accommodations were made, including temporary adjustments during GuyExpo, to minimise disruption.
“The residents of Garnett Street have received notices. We did do some adjustments for the GuyExpo and we are getting back to work to do the drainage,” he explained.
He said the next phase of work requires co-operation from residents, particularly with respect to day-time parking, to allow machinery full access to the roadway shoulders and drainage corridors.
“It is a matter of them removing their day-time parking so that the machines can be able to work on the shoulders, get the drains installed, and we want to get out of here by the 26th of January. So those are the instructions,” Edghill said.