A whopping $100 million has been earmarked to upgrade several internal roads from laterite to concrete at Campbelltown, Region Eight.
The transformative project fulfills a commitment made by Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent visit.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill met with community members on Wednesday and made it clear that the project will be undertaken by those living there.
He noted that the community-driven initiative is part of the government’s efforts to retain economic benefits within the village where major projects are being undertaken.
“Whenever we do the work, we want the people in the area to benefit, rather than advertising in the newspapers and having a contractor from Region One or Region Six come and do the work. We will list all the contractors in the area. And then, we will give you the bid documents,” the minister stated.
The upgrade will begin where the main access road ends and extend to the Village Office, covering 500 metres in length and 20 feet in width. Curbs will also be installed to address the issue of drainage.
Additionally, the project will be divided into multiple lots to maximise participation.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, also addressed the residents, highlighting the government’s broader commitment to infrastructural development across the country.
She noted that hinterland communities are seeing increased investments, with the public works ministry allocating $300 million annually for road maintenance in Amerindian villages.
“Over the last three years, the budget for these works has increased from $100 million to $300 million, ensuring community participation in maintaining their roads,” Minister Sukhai explained.
Similarly, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, spoke if the government’s aim to distribute its resources equally. During the engagement, the ministers and public works engineers inspected the condition of the village’s roads. A 1.6-kilometre thoroughfare leading to a school was identified as a priority for upgrades.
The public works engineers, along with two community members, are tasked to inspect the road. The design will be drafted for the necessary interventions. (Exrtracted from the Department of Public Information)
