Unprecedented infrastructural development taking place along East Coast corridor

The East Coast of Demerara has witnessed an unprecedented surge in infrastructural development, with significant investments totalling $21 billion over the past three years.

This progress has paved the way for the long-awaited availability of thousands of serviced houselots for Guyanese.

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues recently visited the Two Friends and Lusignan Housing Schemes where works are ongoing to develop 800 house lots.

She revealed that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) is overseeing 59 infrastructural projects along the east coast corridor.

Works being undertaken include the construction of roads, culverts, bridges, and utility networks, as well as land clearing.

Minister Rodrigues explained that similar works are ongoing at new housing schemes at Non-Pareil/Enterprise, Enmore/Foulis, Hope, Mon Repos, and Annandale. These works are at various stages of completion.

“Allottees will be able to identify their lots at the completion of these projects which should be by October of this year,” she told the Department of Public Information (DPI).    

As part of the plan for housing development, areas were set aside for reactional spaces, places of worship, schools, and health facilities, as well as industrial and commercial areas.

“We have the Enmore Industrial Site which will create a lot of activities there such as job creation, breathing new life into these communities,” she said.

Notably, these areas will be connected through major road linkages such as the Ogle to Eccles Bypass Road and the Mandela to Great Diamond Highway.

Simultaneously, works are ongoing on a number of hinterland roads as well as the expansion of the East Coast Railway Embankment.

“The people who are concerned about being in the back ought not to be. There will be a road network that will ensure that people have access to and from their homes,” she underscored. 

Minister Rodrigues noted that the overall aim is to mirror the development taking place on the East Bank of Demerara.

“The East Coast is by no means isolated from Georgetown or the East Bank. We are very excited about the transformation. I am particularly excited myself because I have this unique opportunity now to see the areas being transformed from cane fields to thriving sustainable communities.”

The massive development aligns with the government’s manifesto promise, to distribute 50,000 house lots to Guyanese.