THE Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) kicked off the Good Success to Timehri Road Upgrade Project with a well-attended stakeholder meeting on Friday, May 31, 2024 at the Prairie Hotel in Coverden, East Bank Demerara.

The event provided an opportunity for project updates and valuable stakeholder insights, and was held in in partnership with Sheladia Associates Inc. and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill delivered the keynote address to a well-attended audience, including representatives from businesses along the corridor, utility companies, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), and the Ministry of Finance.
Minister Edghill began by emphasising the strategic importance of the corridor and the vision of the PPP/C Administration to connect the Hinterland and Coastland, thereby establishing Guyana as a major transportation and tourist hub.
He outlined several transformative projects that are in the pipeline which align with this vision, including: The New Corentyne River Bridge; the upgrading of the Palmyra to Crabwood Creek corridor to four lanes; major developments at Palmyra; A new fixed bridge across the Berbice River; A deep-water port on the Berbice River, and a feasibility study for the Mahaica to Rosignol Road Corridor.
Additional projects mentioned included the upgrading of the Sheriff Street to Mahaica Road Project, the Railway Embankment upgrade to four lanes from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau, the continuation of the Hero’s Highway from Diamond to Buzz Bee Road, the extension to Land of Canaan and the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the Soesdyke Linden Highway upgrade; a four-lane bridge across the Demerara River at Wismar-Mackenzie; the Linden to Mabura Hill Road Upgrade Project; the construction of 45 concrete bridges along the Linden to Lethem Road; and a fixed bridge across the Essequibo River at Kurupukari.
Minister Edghill highlighted that these projects are crucial to ensuring connectivity between the coastland and hinterland. He stressed that while the MoPW, Sheladia, and CRBC are the formal parties to the contract, stakeholders play a critical role in ensuring that the project delivers “value for money”.
Regarding the Good Success to Timehri Road Upgrade Project, the minister underscored the significance of the corridor as the sole link to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, and a key route for transporting construction materials for other developmental projects. He emphasised the project’s 36-month completion timeline, and expressed hope that strong collaboration among all parties, particularly stakeholders, could expedite the project’s completion.
Minister Edghill pointed out that most of the work would need to be conducted at night to minimise traffic disruptions, with a mandate to maintain two lanes of traffic whenever possible, and to prioritise worker safety on site. He urged the contractor to hire local human resources from within the project area to foster community involvement, and insisted on strict adherence to road safety measures by drivers and other road users.
The meeting marked a significant step in the project’s implementation, fostering collaboration and ensuring that the diverse insights and needs of stakeholders are considered as the project progresses.