$380 M in contracts for road upgrades in Region Three

The Ministry of Public Works on Thursday facilitated the signing of $380 million in contracts for the rehabilitation of roads in communities on the West Bank of Demerara.

Following persistent complaints by residents, farmers and commercial businesses, the public works ministry is moving ahead with the road upgrades.

Mohammad Fawaaz Bacchus Construction and Transportation Service will carry out sectional repairs using asphaltic concrete on the Schoonord main access road, at a cost of $36 million. The rehabilitation will benefit about 7,000 residents in the Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme.

Another 6,500 residents of the farming community of Canal Number One, will benefit from the repairs of 1.2 kilometre of asphaltic concrete along the carriageway from the back to the front. The contract was won by Japarts Construction Incorporated at a value of $173 million.

The third contract was awarded to Aronco Services Incorporated at a cost of $170 million for road repairs in the Canal Number Two, Belle West community. This will see about 8,000 people benefiting from 1.2 kilometre of asphaltic concrete roads.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, MP, urged contractors to employ residents to work on the roads.

“We expect that the contractors when they operating in the area use community labour as much as they can and services from the community as they can, because sometimes the community themselves have persons who can do the work and they are seeing persons from outside coming into the community to do work that they themselves can do. So, we are asking and we are saying to the contractors when you go in these communities look for workers in these communities that can do the work.”

Chairman of Canal Numbers One and Two, Mr. Yogieraj Das extended gratitude to the Ministry and government for the road repairs.

“On behalf of the residents of the Canals Polder, I will extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Public Works and by extension the Government of Guyana for delivering on its promises. Fixing of these roads is a real asset to the residents because the area is a farming area, too. The promises that were made by our government is becoming a reality.”

More contract signing for road repairs in various communities are expected soon. These contracts were made public and were awarded to the lowest bidder.