Guyana/China relation progressive, visionary – Minister Edghill

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill has lauded the relationship between Guyana and the People’s Republic of China, as extremely progressive. 

The minister made the disclosure during a signing ceremony between Guyana and China for the framework agreement to provide for a concessional loan to finance phase two of the East Coast Demerara Road Project to the tune of US$192 million on Friday last. 

“This is visionary thinking, great planning…After the signing of this framework agreement, we look forward for speedy next steps and to ensure that the financing is available. We already have a contract signed and in place to bring greater development at an accelerated pace to the people of Guyana,” the minister underlined.

He added that this will create greater accessibility with the kinds of investments that the President Ali-led administration is making, citing the possibilities of what will happen at Enmore, as it relates to industrialisation and job creation for people along the east coast corridor.

Minister Edghill highlighted that it was the PPP/C Government while in office during the 2011 period that started the east coast expansion and widening of the road network.

The scope of Phase Two of the project will involve converting the existing East Coast Demerara Road from Belfield to Orange Nassau into a four-lane highway, extending the main East Coast Roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, and rehabilitating the existing East Coast Embankment Road from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau to allow the addition of more lanes. 

Additionally, during this phase, 48 bridges, 22 culverts, and an additional bridge over the Hope Canal will be built.

The minister also noted that government is making the investment to improve traffic flow in order to support the enormous economic growth occurring on the east coast.

Over the last 50 years, Guyana and China enjoyed cooperation under five areas- political relations, economic cooperation, healthcare, human resource and capacity building and people-to-people relations.

China and Guyana have worked closely together to put a variety of infrastructure projects into action, including the extension of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, and the East Coast Demerara initiative.