Cane Grove welcomes $300M road works
Residents of the mainly agricultural village Cane Grove, situated some 15 miles south of the Public Road in Mahaica, are pleased with development works in their community.
The Ministry of Public Works is investing approximately $300 million to upgrade the community’s main road and internal roads.
Teacher, Ms. Padmini Seeraj, 19, welcomed the rehabilitation works.
Speaking with DPI, she relayed, “Since I was a small girl growing up in Cane Grove, the road was very terrible and I am very happy there has been some development in our village… I would just like to encourage the Government and everyone to keep developing the community and the country.”
For Ms. Mizoon Baksh, who lives just outside Cane Grove, the upgrades are welcomed as she visits the community’s health centre often.
“This road was very bad compared to what I see alyuh doing and I see on the news they doing the Cane Grove road going straight out to market which is very, very good.”
Ms. Baksh added that she is relieved the roadworks will reduce transportation costs and expenses related to vehicular maintenance.
Smooth access to the health centre was also an important issue for Mr. Donald Mahasse, who is a small business owner.
Mr. Mahasse said, “it will benefit people going to the health centre… The Government is trying as far as I am concerned.”
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Cane Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Ms. Keshni Rooplall also gave the road projects her stamp of approval.
“Being the Chair for the last three years and being on the Council [NDC] for the last six years, these roads were in a deplorable state, which I would say also would make the lives of our residents one of inconvenience.”
Ms. Baksh said in the lead up to Budget 2020, Minister Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Hon. Deodat Indar had engaged the NDC to assess the community’s infrastructural needs.
“Roads will be done in phases. So, that’s one of the initiatives that I would welcome as the NDC Chair and I am sure that my council share the same sentiments,” she said.
On the main access road, nearly $200 million in road upgrades are 20 per cent complete.
Within the community, the rehabilitation of Mandir and Health Centre Streets stand at 70 per cent and 45 per cent complete, respectively. Those works were contracted to the tune of $62 million.
Over at Bendulla Dam, the $62 million contractual works are 45 per cent complete.
Under the 2021 Budget, $25.6 million has been allotted to rehabilitate and construct roads and bridges.
Some $9 billion has also been set aside to advance the Ministry’s miscellaneous roads programme in each Administrative Region.