Last week the Region Eight administration received several pieces of equipment valued at $23.2M to accelerate its road upgrading programme.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) Region Eight Chairman Senor Bell received the equipment: a tractor, trailer and excavator, in the compound of the public works ministry in Kingston. Work is expected to be done on 18 miles of roadway in the region. The upgrading will be conducted by the region’s local workforce within a scheduled work programme.
Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn said the equipment will advance the road building exercise particularly in the high Pakaraimas areas such as Paramakatoi. It is expected to enhance transportation access while reducing costs.
Local Government and Regional Development Minister Kellawan Lall said the equipment will boost the capacity for aggressive road improvements as it is difficult to transport coastal resources to such far-flung areas. He said the initiative forms part of the government’s wider programme for the development of hinterland infrastructure through which about $800M is being expended to build and repair roads and bridges in several communities. Already, about 159M has been spent this year to procure capital equipment to carry out works in the hinterland.
According to GINA, currently the Linden/Ituni/Kwakwani roadway is being upgraded while efforts are underway to carry out similar works at other areas such as Mahdia.
The projects include a $27M investment to build a road from Mango Landing to Mahdia while the thoroughfare in the Mahdia community will be upgraded. The road from Mahdia to Denham Bridge will also be upgraded. Recently, a $24M contract was finalised for upgrading bridges along the Linden/Lethem roadway.
The works are expected to be start soon while negotiations on the scope and cost to undertake repairs to the actual roadway are undergoing with the contractor.
GINA said several officials from the ministry, the local government and Amerindian affairs ministry and the Region Eight Administration attended the handing-over ceremony.
