Work on East Bank Berbice road, Sheriff Street to begin next year

GINA, GUYANA, Friday, December 09, 2016

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson during the 2017 budget debate yesterday, announced that the award of the civil works contract for the East Bank Berbice and Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue projects are now likely to commence in 2017.  The Minister pointed out that the Ministry is awaiting evaluation from independent evaluators recommended by the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers before the commencement of the works.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue project which was signed on March 15, 2013, “has finally had its project re-scoped and completed following protracted delays, and after completion of the procurement process civil works are expected to commence in 2017,” Minister Patterson explained. The 2017 budget has provided $1.240B for these two projects.

Additionally, works from Providence to Diamond under the IDB funded East Bank Demerara Four Lane project is slated for completion next year. The Minister explained that, “the project, which covers 5.4km from Providence to Diamond, is now under the Defects Liability period. He noted that works including drains and traffic signals were paid for under another loan head. The East Bank Demerara project commenced in the latter part of 2011 and was finally completed in September 2016 at a total cost of US$17.171M.

Further, civil works on pedestrian and vehicle overpasses along the East Bank Demerara are expected to commence in 2017. Public advertisements for these have been placed in the print media, and tenders will be opened on December 20, 2016.

These works will be guided under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s, Works Services Group. This group is charged with the responsibility for the execution of all foreign and nationally funded infrastructural projects.

Meanwhile, in 2017 the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will seek to address measures that contribute to an improvement in the safety of Guyana’s road network.

Minister Patterson related that in 2017, $607.1M has been proposed for the continuation of road safety measures. The Minister pointed out that under the 2016 budgetary allocation, a number of significant projects were completed, including the construction of approximately 800 metres of pedestrian sidewalk in Corriverton, and the installation of a total of 311 highway lights on the Corentyne Highway and on the Ogle, Mocha, and Diamond Housing Scheme access roads.

Works have also commenced on the construction of approximately 600 metres of pedestrian sidewalk, Vlissengen Road to Albert Street, on a section of Woolford Avenue, and on the installation of 77 highway lights on the No. 19 Public Road between No. 50 to 55 Villages, Corentyne, Berbice.

By: Ranetta LaFleur