Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar has urged contractors to use local labour and services to foster economic activity in the communities, as firms get set to commence $1.5B in road upgrade projects.
The eight contracts were inked yesterday, in the presence of Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, and Indar.
Speaking with contractors, Minister Edghill noted that the roads are very important as residents have been lobbying for them for a long time.
Among the major road works to be completed, is the construction of the Moleson Creek to El Dorado Road in Region Six, for $ 151,227,000. The contract was awarded to Shaffeeullah Sawmill.
Minister Edghill noted that the road which is currently a mud dam, will be upgraded to laterite, and later to asphaltic concrete at a length of 2500 meters and 7.2 meters wide.
“You’re putting on this first phase and then you will have to bring it to an asphaltic road because ultimately, when you have the bridge, it’s containerised traffic and everything that is going to be passing there so in that whole scheme of things you will have to eventually get up to asphaltic concrete road,” Minister Edghill said, noting that the road will have several benefits. It is two-fold. Number one, getting us to the abutment to facilitate the alignment, and secondly, it’s a dam that is already used for farmers and people live in that area,” he said.
Guyanese Chief Transport Planning Officer, Patrick Thompson said consultations are still ongoing for the final design of the bridge. He said the project will unlock a host of economic possibilities between Guyana and Suriname.
Other contracts signed Friday included the rehabilitation/construction of Cane Grove Phase Three (from the market) awarded to Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal for $117,447,275, and the construction of No.58 Village Road, awarded to The GuyAmerica Construction for $ 640,713,500.
The contract for the construction of the No.52 Village road was awarded to Associated Construction Services for $239,732,000, lots 96 and 97 (maintenance) of the Mara access road were awarded to Shaffeeullah Sawmill and Kascon Engineering Services for $27,919,000 and $34,840,890 respectively.
Two contracts were also signed for projects in Region Seven. They include the rehabilitation of the Itaballi to Puruni road, awarded to Rim Construction Inc. for $176,615,040, and the rehabilitation of the Bartica Potaro Road (Mile 6 to 19), awarded to Adamantium Holdings for $77,311,641.
Minister Edghill noted that the projects are important to the people of Guyana.
The Number 58 road, for example, will lead to the Canje Creek and open up new lands for farming and foster the development of the agriculture sector.
He noted too that the unpriced bills must be handed over to the NDCs in the areas, immediately so there will be no controversy or bad community relations.
He urged the contractors to work diligently to complete the works on time.
“The government that is being led by President Irfaan Ali, we are delivering services to these people, you are a partner in helping us get what we committed to the people, ultimately the people are the beneficiaries,” Minister Edghill said. (Modified from the Department of Public Information)
