Stadium, road upgrades among massive infrastructural development for Region Six – Vice President
The village of Palmrya could soon become one of the premier business hubs in the ancient county, as the PPP/C Administration takes a robust approach to make Region Six more economically viable.
During a meeting with members of the business community on Sunday, at the Classic Hotel Banquet Hall, Skeldon, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo announced that the administration is considering converting a portion of the canefield at Palmyra into a stadium.
This is just one of several transformational projects that were outlined to significantly develop the region, ranging from health, infrastructure, sport and education, among others.
“All the lands of GuySuCo around the Palmyra area where the monument is you are going to have a stadium similar to the one in Providence in Georgetown,” the VP told those gathered.
The Vice President believes that the massive sporting facility can serve hundreds of residents in both Regions Five and Six, as the one at Providence is serving Region Three and Four.
He explained that the area can become a growth pole with a lay out of businesses; shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and a host of other activities. Works to execute the project should begin by the end of the year.
A sum of US $100 million will be invested to widen and pave the main access road from New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek, Corentyne. The project will see the thoroughfare being widened by four feet on each side. Tender for the project will be out shortly.
Another $4 billion is set aside for community roads. There will also be upgrades to several bridges across the region.
Further, the Vice President noted that a campus will be established at Port Mourant to provide training in oil and gas.
Meanwhile, due to the neglect of the previous administration, Dr. Jagdeo pointed out that it will take billions of dollars to rebuild and put together the infrastructure of the Skeldon Estate.
In the interim, he said the PPP/C Government is looking to operate the sugar industry on a smaller scale. He pointed to the cultivation of hemp, which he noted, is a very lucrative industry.
“We are passing the legislation next month. We’ve identified this area as one and Region 10 to grow industrial hemp. Now hemp is a very lucrative industry. It has to be tightly managed. It can bring thousands of jobs to the area.
“These are just some of the plans that we’re working on to ensure that the sugar workers who are laid off get re-employed. We have to try to get people re-employed, so that is why in this year’s budget, we made a decision that we will give people temporary employment so that they can have a family income,” the Vice President added.
The temporary employment, he referenced, includes the 3,000 part-time jobs that will become available in the region, within the next three weeks.