$50M to commence phased upgrade to Laluni road network – President Ali
– major agricultural boost, job creation anticipated
Residents of Laluni will soon benefit from a major upgrade to their road network.
The upgrade will be done in phases and will significantly improve accessibility to the farming community located on the Soesdyke highway.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement as he joined the community in celebrating Heritage Month festivities on Saturday.
“I am pleased to announce to you that only this weekend, we awarded three contracts to the value of $50 million to start phase one of this road,” President Ali stated.
Phase one of the road involves grading and shaping to pave the way for phase two.
The head of state related that personnel from the Ministry of Public Works will visit the community to find the skill set needed to work on phase two of the project.
This will create employment in the community while ensuring residents are involved in the development of the place they call home.
“In phase two of this road, we will be examining ways in which we can involve the community because one of the quickest ways in which we can have the road completed is to have concrete paved roads,” the president further disclosed.
The upgrade of the road was welcomed by residents who said the road has been in a deplorable state for a number of years. They are also grateful because it will play a major role in boosting food production in the community.
Resident, Anthon Abrams said “the road had been in this state for probably over five years and it has had a tremendous effort on the transportation for farmers who has been finding it impossible to reach out to the difference areas.”
He added that, “the road had many set back and I trust that with this new initiative it will be appreciated a lot not only by the farmers but the other residents.”
Chairman of the community, Julian Mohabir expressed similar sentiments.
“Farmers have been punishing with the road as well as the school children to attend the secondary school and this help we will get with the road, it will help the farmers 100 per cent,” he stated.
Rabindranauth Doobay, the community’s largest producer of cherries, said as a farmer, he is elated about the announcement made by President Ali.
“I am very much glad for the promise today which I heard from his mouth that we will be getting the road at a first phase because it had been a long time… We are all farmers in here and the road is 100 per cent needed,” Doobay told DPI.
The PPP/C Government has placed heavy emphasis on improving the country’s infrastructure. In budget 2022, a whopping $76.7 billion was earmarked for the construction of roads and bridges throughout the country.