The long-awaited works on the 22-mile stretch Black Bush Polder (BBP) road has finally commenced, with contractors preparing the foundation at Mibicuri, Johanna and Lesbeholden.
In a recent interview, Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha told Stabroek News that most of the potholes have been filled so far. The contract for the US$7 million project has been awarded to BK International.
He is confident that upon completion of the road at the end of this year, “there would be a vast difference in the area. More people are moving back there to take up land.” He also foresees “more production coming out of the area.”
Roads in East and West Canje are also being rehabilitated. The chairman pointed out that work on the West Canje road would start from Stanleytown and end at Sandvoort.
He said too that the East Canje project involves an asphalt road from Sheet Anchor turn to Gangaram and would continue to the New Forest area.
Mustapha noted the deplorable condition of the East Bank Berbice public road and said he has been making representations to have that fixed as well.
Regarding the problems of erosion in the area, he said the Ministry of Public Works has already awarded a contract and that “massive sea defence works are going on at Lonsdale.”
A part of the Glasgow sea dam, which was prone to flooding, has already been built while other works are being carried out from No. 36 Village to Eversham on the Corentyne.
Meanwhile, all of the bridges along the Corentyne public road would be repaired and 93 drainage pipes would be installed.
The chairman said too that 105 community roads would be built as well as close to 77 urban roads, including at Smithfield, Stanleytown and Angoy’s Avenue.
According to him, residents of the Angoy’s Avenue area, which is being run by a co-op, are having problems obtaining land titles.
He said the co-op has filed an injunction restraining the Ministry of Housing and Water from going into the community and the matter is still pending in the court.
He hopes that “the members would take steps to make the co-op defunct… just three people are holding the community at ransom. If the matter is thrown out of court, the residents would be able to have titles.”
Because of a lack of titles, he said, residents cannot have “electricity and proper access and potable water.”
Government, nevertheless, has decided to “go in and continue the development with the laying of pipelines. The roads in the area have already tendered for it to be at a crusher-run stage…”
