Gov’t incorporated several facets of Sheriff-Mandela projects into other initiatives

Following the successful completion of the Sheriff Street-Mandela Avenue Project, the government applied several of its measures including the design and stringent supervision of works into new infrastructural undertakings. 

This was according to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works, Vladim Persaud, as he gave remarks at the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) exit workshop for the Sheriff-Mandela project, at Grand Coastal Hotel, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara on Friday. 

The ministry received a loan worth US$37.5 million, from the IDB’s Road Network Upgrade and Expansion Programme (RNUEP). It was inked in March 2013 and later reformulated in November 2017. 

Initially, the loan was referred to the Road Improvement and Expansion Programme which was then reformulated to the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP). The initiative was successfully concluded; with all of the key activities including the expansion of the Sheriff-Mandela Avenue.

This expansion project which commenced in 2017 had experienced several setbacks.

Further, when the PPP/C Government assumed office in August 2020, more obstacles were encountered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Many of which had to do with not only COVID but [we] had to enforce new design changes to allow for better safety control environmental management. It was a learning lesson not only for the completion of the project in 2021…We are happy to see it finished and we will learn from it. We have been able to incorporate several facets into new projects not only in its design but also when it comes to more stringent supervision of those projects,” Persaud explained.

The infrastructure within the area has been strengthened by this road network which paved the way for enhanced economic growth.

The expansion of this roadway has provided a direct link from the East Coast corridor to the East Bank corridor, by minimising traffic congestion and improving trade and other opportunities.

This project, he added, has been a success both financially and economically.

He noted that additional funds were injected which were mainly due to the global pandemic since new measures had to be undertaken.

“These investments are all critical for the economic development of Guyana…This is to ensure that developments reach every part of Guyana,” the permanent secretary stressed.

Meanwhile, IDB’s Country Representative in Guyana, Lorena Solorzano Salazar highlighted that the road network has contributed to the growth of Guyana’s economy by enhancing the movement of goods and services.

While the road was being built, she lauded the efforts made to ensure that businesses were not severely disrupted.

“This intervention is comprehensive…I am very happy to see that the government has taken [steps] to put very strong measures on the performance of companies and the supervision firms because they need to be accountable…” Salazar pointed out.

She added that IDB’s partnership with Guyana will continue since there is another project being undertaken along the East Bank corridor, while discussions are ongoing for other projects.

Despite encountering several obstacles, the Project Manager at the Ministry of Public Works, Mark Greene lauded the partnership between the IDB and the ministry for successfully completing the project. A Road Safety and Diagnostic Action Plan was also conducted as well as several institutional strengthening programmes for training and capacity building.