-Minister Edghill tells NTC Conference
MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill , on Thursday delivered an extensive presentation at the2025 National Toshaos Council Conference, currently being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre under the theme, “Robust Governance for Sustainable Village Development.”
According to his ministry, Minister Edghill highlighted the recent and ongoing infrastructural works in Indigenous communities across Guyana, underscoring plans for future developments to further enhance these areas.
These works include several new roads, bridges and airstrips that have been constructed to international standards. Because the river-ways are used to transport people and goods daily in these communities, river transport has also been upgraded with a number of new ferries, speedboats and the recently launched online booking app- Ferry Pass.
Bridges which are an essential part of hinterland transport have also been erected. A total of 32 bridges are being built along the Kurupukari–Lethem corridor at a cost of $4.1 billion. Other projects have been completed in Matthews Ridge, Yurong Paru, Central Rupununi, Tiger Creek, and Orealla/Siparuta, among others. Work has also begun on a bridge over the Corentyne River.
Figures compiled by the government show that spending on roads in the hinterland rose from $1.5 billion in 2020 to $9 billion in 2025. This most recent sum allows for the rehabilitation and further expansion of key routes which will aid in improving emergency access across the board, and help residents, businesses, and tourists in the long run.
This publication recently highlighted several road-improvement works for several far-flung regions.
For Region One, $305M is being expended for road upgrades from Kwebanna to Kumaka and San Jose; more than $1.5 billion will collectively be invested in Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Matthews Ridge, Wauna and Rincon; $224.6M will be invested in road rehabilitation in Heaven Hill, Hell Hill, and Station Street at Matthews Ridge, which will directly benefit more than 2,000 residents; and $51.1M was expended to upgrade Wauna’s main access road.
Some $932M has been allocated for road upgrades at Bartica, Dagg Point, Kaburi and Issano in Region Seven. $1.3 billion will be used for 17 contracts to enhance more than 27 kilometres of internal roads. Further, for Region Seven, there will be upgrades to Bartica/Potaro, Dagg Point, Issano and Mora Point roads. $70 million was provided for road works in Karrau, one of the largest infrastructural investments in the Amerindian village to date; and $52.2 million has been set aside for continued works on the Bartica-Potaro Road, from the Denham Bridge to Cassandra Crossing.
For Region Eight, $689 million was spent for roads at Mahdia, Princeville, Tiger Hill, Muruwa, Konawaruk, and Stone Hill to Konawaruk Junction; $60.5 million for a 350-metre rigid concrete pavement road in Danjah Hill; $108.6 million for Phase two of Mahdia’s main access road; and $64.6 million to upgrade 10 km of roads in Muruwa.
Additionally, for Region Nine, $339.1 million is available for road works from Lethem’s Beverly Hills Drive and Cenotaph Boulevard; and more than $746 million for projects in St Ignatius, Deep/South/North Rupununi, and the South Pakaraimas.
Finally, for Region 10, $14.8 million has been set aside to upgrade the Wisroc to Rockstone Road, along with $420.1 million for road upgrades in Kwakwani and Coomacka.
Airstrips located at Lethem, Eteringbang, Ekereku Bottom, Karisparu, Baramita, and Kaieteur were upgraded, with further works to be done at Paramakatoi, Kwakwani, Aishalton, and Matthews Ridge. These improvements have reportedly increased flight frequency and safety, and reduced travel time for essential services.
Accompanying the minister at the conference were Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; Permanent Secretary Vladim Persaud and technical staff from the ministry. Together, they engaged directly with village leaders to provide updates and offer practical solutions to concerns raised during the forum.