The cry of the masses has been joined by none other than Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who said yesterday that the manner in which construction projects are being rolled out appears ad hoc, disorganized even.
Citizens of Georgetown have long been complaining that the pace of road construction has become akin to the proverbial pain in the neck. Citizens have expressed frustration at the fact that several roads or sections of roads, in close proximity to each other, are under construction at the same time. Also, there is hardly adequate notice or any notice of road works. The general sentiment, even from people who are pro-development is that there seem to be little method or organizing to the roll of projects.
Jagdeo admitted this shortcoming of his administration yesterday as he responded to questions during one of the sessions of the ongoing energy conference held at Marriott.
The question posed by an unidentified participant had to do with the pace of construction in Guyana. The woman pointed out that construction seems to be everywhere and noted her concerns about quality control and value for money.
VP Jagdeo told the audience that he only returned to Guyana on Monday. He said that he became irritated “from the time I hit the East Bank Road.”
Jagdeo revealed, “I posted in the Cabinet group my dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Public works. They are not managing these sites well.” The former President said that the powers that be at the Ministry of Public Works seem not to think about the approximately 100k people who are affected by the chaos.
“It’s like everywhere. I know we are building lots of things at the same time, we have to do it, but for Christ’s sake let’s do it in some order,” Jagdeo lamented.
He pointed out the lack communication between ministries and agencies as he noted instances where the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) would dig up a newly paved road.
Even as he painfully accepted the obvious lack of organization in the roll out of the government’s infrastructural agenda, Jagdeo said that investment in infrastructure is necessary.
He told the conference, “They say we must not spend on infrastructure; people cannot eat infrastructure, we disagree with that.” The politician affirmed that that is the same economic philosophy that cost Guyana causing the nation to be even poorer than Haiti back in the 80s.
“Spending every cent you earn on consumption, not building or planning for the future is what that left Guyana with one of the highest debt burdens in the world because of borrowing to consume. We are not seduced by that argument,” said Jagdeo.
