The cost of travel between Linden and Kwakani has seen a 16.6% reduction since the rehabilitation of the Linden/Ituni/Kwakani road, bringing the current fare down to $2,500.
For months, those travelling the route were subjected to a $500 increase as drivers complained of additional operational costs being incurred because of the state of the roadway.
According to a release from the Department of Public Information, since the rehabilitative works, drivers have reported that their vehicles are consuming less gas and that they spend less time travelling to repair shops.
Additionally, commuters reportedly related that travel time between Linden and Kwakwani has been reduced significantly, as what had become a regular “four to five-hour trip” has now been cut down to one and a half to two hours.
“The trail is very smooth right now, and the drivers have kept their word, and so residents now have an ease of $500 and I am very happy for that”, Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph stated, according to DPI. The release said that Adolph also lauded the Ministry of Natural Resources for addressing the issue and for allocating a substantial amount for the road repairs.
The repairs to the roadway, which began in July at the end of the rainy season, included ditching, excavating, section repairs of soft spots and filling with laterite. Member of Parliament, Audwin Rutherword, praised the contractor for having done “excellent work”, and labeled the execution “value for money”, as he noted that repairs were also done to internal roads not included in the agreement.
The repairs to the Linden-Kwakwani road, according to the release, were facilitated by a $650 million budget allocation to facilitate “road projects critical to miners and forest operators in the gold, diamond and timber industries”.
Those projects are being executed by the Ministry of Natural Resources, through the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, with technical assistance being lent by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. The release stated that the Rockstone-Mabura road is also being repaired.
