–as President Ali opens $15.1B Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway

CREATING an avenue for greater interlinks across the country, the new Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) was on Thursday evening commissioned by President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
In his feature address at the commissioning ceremony, the Head of State highlighted how the modern throughway will further position Guyana as a major transportation and logistics hub.

“Today, we will open this highway from the Harbour Bridge to Crane, and by Sunday, the entire stretch will be utilised,” President Ali said.

He noted, however, as advised by the local police, the government will add a ‘slip lane’; a road that allows road users to change lane without actually entering an intersection to the highway, to further improve the flow of traffic.
The new highway, which features three roundabouts – 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 pre-stressed bridges, and road signage and markings, will see improved transportation across Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaaam), Three, Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
“This highway is the first phase of the highway that will go to Parika. And the highway that will go to Del Conte, that will open up thousands upon thousands of acres of land for housing; for agriculture. And we have already started work on the Sand Hill alignment; and the Sand Hill alignment will be from right opposite Bartica,” Dr. Ali said.

This “carefully articulated vision”, he said, will see the coastal regions being strategically linked to the hinterland and mining regions.
He pointed out that not only is Region Three crucial to this link, but it’s already on the cusp of massive transformation, with the government executing several modern infrastructural projects to unlock new opportunities for residents.
At the centre of the modernisation plans are the construction of a new ‘fly-over’ Demerara Harbour Bridge, which will stretch from Nandy Park, on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), to La Grange, on the West Bank Demerara, and the construction of the Wales gas-to-energy project.
“The new phase of development will see about 30,000 house lots in the West Bank area alone; this is a type of transformation. The skill and speed of the transformation is enormous, and it is being done with a careful plan,” President Ali added.

Meanwhile, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, in his remarks, noted that the commissioning of the new highway would immediately bring forward development, reduce travel times, and open new opportunities for entrepreneurship.
“In the four years since we took office, we have invested heavily in this region; from the upgrading and construction of roads to increasing housing development to improving healthcare facilities, access to utilities, including water. We have ensured that these investments can positively impact the people of Region Three, by creating jobs and increasing commercial activity within the region,” Minister Croal said, adding: “It is a new dawn for Region Three.”
The Housing and Water’s Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) spearheaded the massive project to the tune of $15.1 billion.

And, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues disclosed that the project was executed by a team of young engineers and professionals trained under President Ali’s leadership while he was the Housing and Water Minister.
“I’m very proud of this project, especially because it is another four-lane concrete highway that was executed through the Ministry of Housing and Water, and Central Housing and Planning Authority, done by a team of young people, young engineers, clerk of works, architects, surveyors; young men and women who have been pushed to their limits,” Minister Rodrigues said.