Draft infrastructural development plan presented to Cabinet
GINA, Guyana, Thursday, May 4, 2017
A draft Infrastructural Development Plan will seek to address several infrastructural issues across the country, including in the urban areas and the hinterland. This was announced by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon during a post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, today.
The plan was presented to Cabinet by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, and addresses the following areas;
- Urban and sub-urban development
- Hinterland roads and bridges
- Sea Defence, roads and bridges
- Aerodromes
- Energy and
- The expansion of urban administration
Minister Harmon explained that Cabinet sought clarification from Minister Patterson on some aspects of the proposed plan, and agreed that there will be a detailed discussion of the proposal at the upcoming Conference of Ministers.
When asked whether plans for the continuation of the Sheriff Street to Mandela Avenue and East Bank Berbice Highway projects are included, Minister Harmon explained those contracts will not be scrapped.
The Minister explained that, “the Sheriff Street project was a contract for $66M, $25M of which was committed to the roads itself. The balance was uncommitted … (what) the government sought to do was to commit that sum to the development of the housing sector which will also include the infrastructural development in the housing sector.”
On the issue of the East Bank Berbice Highway, Minister Harmon said that government has noted the importance of that road, and has decided that the project be funded directly through the Public Infrastructure Ministry. That project is being executed to the tune of some $1.1B.
By: Synieka Thorne