“Another promise fulfilled” – President Ali declares as he opens Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam Highway

Thousands of commuters who frequent the East Bank Highway can now breathe a sigh of relief as President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali officially declared the $11 billion Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam four-lane highway open to traffic. 

Constructed and designed by local contractors, the new road provides an uninterrupted link to Great Diamond and faster access to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). Importantly, it eliminates hours of traffic congestion.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Monday, President Ali declared, “We are not stopping here at Buzz Bee Dam. This road will not end at Great Diamond. We are extending it to Soesdyke. Why? Because progress  is our mantra.”

Acknowledging that the highway’s construction posed challenges to residents, the president explained that such inconveniences are the price of progress. 

He said now that the highway is open, it will provide access to households, industries, and commercial zones, boost agricultural value, and open up pathways for trade and tourism.

The government’s infrastructure programme is part of a broader vision to improve efficiency, President Ali said, describing roads as the arteries of development that are essential for agriculture, commerce, tourism, and industry. 

“How can we talk about efficiency without talking about transport? Every extra minute trucks spend stuck in traffic is lost productivity. Every gallon of fuel wasted is money out of citizens’ pockets. That is why this road matters.”

President Ali reminded citizens that people who once doubted the projects are now benefitting from smoother rides and faster travel times. And so, he urged citizens to see the new road as another promise fulfilled and a step toward greater efficiency, productivity and prosperity. 

He pointed to the soon-to-be-commissioned new Demerara River Crossing as another project that will eliminate major bottleneck along the East Bank corridor and provide significant relief to commuters.

Minister of Housing and Water Colin Croal also said the new road link is part of a broader and deliberate strategy of infrastructural development. Over the last four years, the government has built more than 56.5 kilometres of new roadways and highways.

“Roads open access to housing development, attract new investments and connect communities that were once isolated,” the minister emphasised. 

Meanwhile, Minister within the ministry, Susan Rodrigues, disclosed that the fourth phase of the project will begin next year, extending from Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan. 

The project was executed in lots by GuyAmerica Construction, VALS Construction, China Railway First Group, NABI, and H Nauth and Sons.

The Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam connection is the third phase of the highway, after the Mandela to Eccles and Eccles to Diamond phases.