Linden – Lethem road one step closer

DPI, Guyana, Friday, December 22, 2017

Construction of the Linden – Lethem road is closer, following the signing of a Complementary Agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Federative Republic of Brazil, which created the “Guyana- Brazil Joint Commission to Develop Infrastructure Projects”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, said this development is in keeping with the two countries’ interest in enhancing the infrastructure between them, “mainly for the purposes of economic and social integration.”

Underlining the economic and other benefits that will be gained on the completion of this road link between Linden and the Brazilian State of Roraima, the Foreign Affairs Minister explained, “The road is pretty critical to Guyana and as regards Guyana/Brazil it can be a major potential means of integrating Brazil and Guyana, especially in relation to the capacities. The agricultural exports, the processing capacities of Roraima, the Region of Roraima will provide Guyana with markets into Brazil.”

Further, Minister Greenidge noted that Brazil stands to benefit mainly from reduced shipping costs to and from international markets.

“In terms of volume, a larger volume of movement will be involved so as to get Brazil products agricultural and otherwise into the international markets by a route that will turn out to be much cheaper than the route they currently use, so it is valuable to both sides”, Minister Greenidge added.

The road which is projected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars is to be funded by Guyana and Brazil, with the help of international financing.

“You may wish to know that one of the things we agreed on, even to President Temer’s predecessor… was the involvement of another bilateral and the use of more particularly the China /CELAC funds, which is about $50B. There has been an agreement between the two sides that a meeting will be held on January 22^nd in which all of the eligible countries to the fund will participate. They will work with the Chinese to understand how the funds can be accessed”, the Foreign Affairs Minister further explained.

The agreement was signed by Presidents David Granger of Guyana and Michel Temer of Brazil at a bilateral meeting, held on the sidelines of the MERCOSUR summit 2017 held, in Brazil.

Meanwhile Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman described the signing of this and other agreements with the neighbouring country as a re-engagement and continuation of collaboration which started in the early 80’s.

 

By: Kidackie Amsterdam

 

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