All major roads in Essequibo to be paved in 18 months – Min. Patterson. 

− well-lit carriageway to follow.

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

The government has committed to ensuring that all major roads on the Essequibo Coast are fully paved in 18 months.

This was disclosed by Minister of Public Infrastructure, the Hon. David Patterson on Sunday during a community meeting.

“We have a plan to ensure that all the roads in the region should be paved and asphalted with asphalting concrete … That will be done by us bringing an asphalt plant in Region Number Two in February or the first quarter of 2020,” Min. Patterson stated.

The ministry is currently paving some 10 roads in the township of Anna Regina, and several more in the outlying areas.

“We can actually double that number with your own asphalt plant here in region two,” Min.  Patterson noted.

He also reiterated government’s plan for a fully lit Essequibo Coast and explained that as of December 9 teams will begin filling in the gaps.

“We’ve already started the planning for the procurement of another 1.8 megawatts generator for Anna Regina, and we will continue adding annually as your demand increases.”

The minister urged residents to be on the lookout for vandals and persons intent on sabotaging the government’s work in the region.

“You have to be vigilant and inform the authorities of incidents or possible incidents,” he declared.

He also mentioned works to upgrade the Supenaam and Parika stellings would begin soon.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Telecommunications, the Hon. Catherine Hughes, stated her satisfaction with the implementation of 175 ICT hubs across the country. Seven of those are available already in Region Two.

“In three years, my ministry, which started in 2016, has created over 175 community ICT hubs across the country, including in Hinterland communities; the hub is a place with free internet, computers, E-books from the Ministry of Education, which assists students with their SBAs etc.” Min. Hughes noted.

She said the decision to provide free internet access was not only to bring the country in line with international standards but also to relieve residents of the cost burden.

“For a very long time in Guyana, if the school had an alumni association that was paying for the internet only then would they have internet in the teacher’s room or the computer room and as a government we felt that every school, every child must have the same opportunity,” Minister Hughes said.

The project has so far covered and made internet accessible to 170 primary schools, 100 secondary schools, 30 tertiary institutions; technical institutes, UG campuses, the School of Agriculture, government agencies, and health institutions.

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