Contracts for two major roads to be signed soon

Contracts for the construction of the Linden to Mabura Hill and Ogle to Diamond roads will be signed very soon, said Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill, MP.

Minister Edghill made the announcement at the Ministry’s end -of -year press conference on Monday.

The $38 billion Linden to Mabura Hill road, the minister said, it is still in the procurement stage, engaging the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

“We hope to have that concluded in a matter of weeks,” he said.

The contract for the $11.6 billion Ogle to Diamond bypass road, which is funded by the Government of India will also be signed in the near future. The Public Works Minister said “that is also at its final procurement stages in terms of its evaluation and preparation for an award of contract.

“I would like to assure you that contracts for both of these projects will be signed before the conclusion of the first quarter of 2022, and works begin to advance,” the Minister declared.

Minister Edghill said the public works ministry achieved 85 per cent of is work programme for 2021. The two road projects account for the remaining 15 per cent.

“Everything that we set out to do in 2021, we were able to do it and we have lost some time particularly on the foreign-funded programmes as a result of engagement in a very iterative process with the financial institutions and the international agencies, in the case of the Linden/Mabura Hill road, and the Indian Government for the Ogle Eccles Road,” Minister Edghill said.

He said the accomplishments of the Ministry is a success story that government is proud of as he thanked all those who made it possible. Minister Edghill said President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s vision of transforming Guyana is in sight.

“We went to the electorate and told them should you elect us and put us into office, these are the things that we will do for the development of Guyana. A number of things that are listed in the PPP/C’s manifesto, the Ministry of Public Works, we are directly charged with the implementation of that, but we are also engaged in lending support to other ministries and agencies for the implementation of the overall vision and goal of President Ali and his administration,” Minister Edghill stated.

The minister said Guyanese can expect even greater infrastructure boom when the 2022 National Budget is presented.