The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development plans to summon contractors over delays in the building and rehabilitation of hinterland roads.
“We are in the process of summoning these contractors to determine whether indeed they are mindful of getting our work done or relinquishing those contracts so that others who are interested can get the work done,” Minister in the ministry Norman Whittaker said at a press conference held at his office on Thursday.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, while some work has been done in regions Eight and Nine, major road works that should have been completed in regions One and Seven have yet to start. These are the Bartica to Five Mile Road in Region One, the Barabina Road in Mabaruma, the primary roads in Port Kaituma and to a lesser extent Moruca.
“At this point in time, notwithstanding that the 2013 budget has not been presented to the Parliament as yet, there are a number of roll-over projects that are continuing in the Regions,” Whittaker said. Some of these are the San Jose Bridge in Region One where the regional authorities and toshao had raised concerns about the type of materials being used and the manner in which the project was being done. “They have a right to… in fact we have been encouraging the local government bodies including the NDCs and Village Councils to help to monitor projects taking place within their respective communities to ensure that what is done is in keeping with the scope or work required, the materials used are not substandard and we are happy that the people in an orderly way did bring this matter to our attention,” the minister said.
He also noted that the regional vice chairman and the REO have been instructed to stop the work immediately. Engineers will be dispatched to Santa Rosa to examine the work in progress and determine corrective measures needed.
