The Ministry of Public Works recently secured $600M through Monday’s $17.4B supplementary budget. The funds will largely go toward funding mobilisation advances to contractors slated to commence 48 of the 100 road projects to be undertaken throughout Guyana.
Mobilisation advances are given to contractors at a fraction of the project’s cost to allow those firms to transport equipment to project sites. Minister Edghill said he will ensure the invested taxpayers’ dollars are spent in a transparent manner, in full compliance with the country’s procurement laws and best practices. The Auditor General would have flagged several instances in the past where contractors would receive millions of dollars in mobilisation fees without completing projects.
The Minister said Permanent Secretary, Vladim Persaud, and other staff, “have all been briefed and instructed that the issues that arose in the 2019 audit of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure of monies being spent without proper authority will not be a repeat under my watch in the Ministry of Public Works.” In recent weeks, Minister Edghill has visited key road projects in Regions One, Two, Four, Five, Six and Ten to assess the pace of works undertaken by the contractors.
During those engagements, he urged contractors not to use the Christmas season as an excuse for delayed works. He also advised residents and community leaders to remain vigilant over the roadworks that are being done to benefit them.