DESPITE the many criticisms from residents on the East Bank of Berbice, the Government of Guyana remains committed to rehabilitating and resurfacing the public thoroughfare in that rural district.

For more than a decade, the rapidly deteriorating road which runs parallel to the Berbice River has been an eyesore and a heated topic of discussions between residents and public officials, because many East Bank Berbice residents are of the opinion that they are being neglected.

On Wednesday, during a public consultation at the Edingburgh Primary School, residents along the East Bank were told by a team from the Ministry of Public Works that there are plans to fix the thoroughfare. However, interim repair works will be done before a massive resurfacing project gets underway in October.

Through an anticipated grant from the International Development Bank (IDB), new plans will be crafted to ensure that a durable road becomes a reality, and the aim of the consultation was to garner ideas from the East Bank residents.

Engineers from EXP Engineering Consulting firm of Canada, the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants (CEMCO), and the Works Services Group (WSG) of the Ministry of Public Works held an elaborate session with 170 residents coming from Islington to Mara, and several concerns were raised.

NOT A GAME-PLAYING APPROACH
Some persons became agitated during the sessions, and cast aspersions at public officials and road construction firms for creating the plight they are faced with in having to traverse the dilapidated thoroughfare on a daily basis.

“We are not going to ‘rock back’ and accept any more slipshod works on the road! We demand a new road!” blurted Linden Joseph, who went on to say: “You people should come and have a look at some of the work that they (road building firms) do, and call it ‘road repairs’…utterly disgusting and no respect for taxpayers!”

Another resident, who stood at the back of the packed auditorium, then shouted: “The contractor is name and nature…. The Government should adopt a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach against him, because he is on ‘nought’ (nothing)!”

At that point, Social Engagement Specialist of EXP, Ms. Bernice Duncan, sought to restore some order by explaining to the gathering that her firm represents the IDB, and the consultation is to create room for a positive approach towards building a better road.

“Every respect to your history, the bitterness and disappointments. I am not without sympathy…you deserve a new road,” she responded.

Residents were quite convinced that the consultation was just a simple gimmick, and that they would have to endure many more years of discomfort while using the deplorable road.

“This is not a ‘pyah-pyah’ game-playing approach. This approach has worked successfully for the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue project in Georgetown, and we expect the same here,” Duncan emphasised.

EXPECTATIONS
After fully acknowledging the purpose of the engagement, one resident took to the fore and said: “We are positively looking forward for a new road, but we would like to see some sort of control after its construction.” He then asked: “Is it possible to have speed limit signs erected? Can we have speed humps?”

At the end of the session, some persons expressed mixed emotions about the discussions. Nevertheless, they hope that their involvement will bear fruit to better their lives on the East Bank.

In the interim, the Government will soon be expending $60M on repair works along the twenty-six-mile-long thoroughfare to bring relief to road users there.

Engineers of the WSG at the Ministry of Public Works assured that: “The money ($60M) has been allocated and is yet to be disbursed. I assure you that there will be a transparent tendering process before any contracting firm is awarded, the repair project.”

The East Bank of Berbice is renowned for farming activities, but in recent years, many persons have internally migrated to other areas such as: the Glasgow New Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam, and East Canje, owing to difficulties in coping with transporting produce to the urban markets.
Written By Michael Khan