The social, economic and national security significance of the retention of strong links between the hinterland and coastal regions of Guyana means that keeping lines of communication open, “whether these be by land, sea or air” ought of necessity to be “considerations of national priority,” Chief Executive Officer of Roraima Airways Gerry Gouveia told the Stabroek Business on Tuesday.
Speaking in the wake of recent reports regarding the serious deterioration of the Linden-Lethem road and the economic consequences and physical hardships deriving therefrom Gouveia told Stabroek Business that once access to our interior locations becomes “difficult or challenging” on account of difficulties encountered with the efficiency of any of the key modes of transport, “that situation should be treated as a national emergency.”
Last week, the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) issued a statement on “the worsening conditions of interior roads” which it said was “causing suffering and losses to timber producers………across” the country and which it added provided “a very bleak outlook for many industries including forestry, mining, tourism, and trade.” In commenting on the GMSA’s release and the subsequent fallout, Gouveia said that it was his view that over a protracted period of time not nearly sufficient attention had been paid to the maintenance of interior roads.