President Ali commissions $59M rehabilitated Burnham Boulevard  in Mocha

His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali visited Mocha Arcadia on Sunday to officially open the Burnham Boulevard.

Residents greeted the president with a warm welcome, despite a plethora of private phone calls and messages encouraging residents to boycott the visit.

Construction on the road began back in June and within three months, was completed by contractor, Mohamed Construction.

Mocha resident, 76-year-old Lloyd Roberts has been an advocate for development in his community for over a decade. In August 2021, he wrote a letter to the president seeking urgent help for the deplorable state of Burnham Boulevard. Within nine days, he received a response from the president.

Roberts expressed much gratitude for the completion of the road.

“Oh, I feel so proud to see it [the road] happen and to have the president here with us is just so nice. I’m happy.”

Other residents were immensely grateful, noting that it was long awaited.

“Before the construction of the road, taxi drivers refused to transport persons in and out of the area. If there is an emergency, there is no way an ambulance can get to you. But now, I’m so happy all that has changed. Thank you, Mr. President.”, resident, Lloyd Peters noted.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar said the road forms part of a $192 million investment into the Mocha Arcadia community. The contracts for three other roads in the community were also signed during the president’s visit: Extension of Burnham Boulevard and Barnwell Road.

President Ali also emphasised that development is meant to add value to the lives of all Guyanese, “There is something physical but what we don’t understand is that that road has brought value to every single home in this community. It has increased the net value of your home in this community. this is what infrastructure transformation brings. It brings an improvement of net within the community.”

Also accompanying the president were Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, and Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag.

The president and ministers listened to the residents’ concerns and provided solutions.