$200M to upgrade Herstelling and Providence roads- Minister Croal
-tenders to open this week
Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal said some $200 million has been earmarked for the upgrading of roads in Herstelling and Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Minister Croal made this statement during his guest appearance on 94.1 Boom FM ‘Jump Start’ programme Tuesday.
“That is to move some of the main road to asphaltic and some of the others where we are starting up at least to the crusher run. I can tell you that the tenders should be opened some time this week. So, very shortly after the weather, those works will commence.”
A concrete bridge will also be constructed to replace the wooden structure in Herstelling.
Minister Croal said there are also plans to rehabilitate roads in housing schemes countrywide that were neglected over the past five years. His Ministry will be collaborating with the Ministries of Public Works and Local Government and Regional Development to carry out the upgrades through the miscellaneous road project.
Additionally, the Minister said construction will soon start on the young professional homes in Region 10.
“Very shortly you will see Amelia’s Ward coming on stream. We are building about 40 houses this year and after that we have Region Six in the Hampshire area,” he said.
President Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali first announced the construction oof homes for young professionals during an outreach to Linden in January.
Similar structures will be built in Cummings Lodge, Prospect, Providence, Little Diamond and Great Diamond in Region Four; Onderneeming and Wales in Region Three; Ordnance/Fortlands, Hampshire and Williamsburg in Region Six.
The Ministry is building 1,000 young professional and low-income housing units this year as part of the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s National Housing Development Programme.
The PPP/C Government is committed to allocating 50,000 house lots over five years as outlined in its manifesto, averaging 10,000 lots per year. The Ministry has since held several housing drives where close to 4000 lots have been allocated.