Preparatory works for upgrading the Vreed-en-Hoop and Stabroek ferry stellings began last year and will continue this year with the projects expected to be completed within three years, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson has said.
He was speaking at a media briefing yesterday morning during which the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) sought to bring the public up to date with its 2019 work plan. Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma was also present.
Declaring that 2019 was the ministry’s best year since 2015, Patterson shared that the two projects are part of a waterfront development initiative funded by the Caribbean Development Bank, which allocated $80 million for the preliminary works. He disclosed that $67.1 million has already been spent on upgrades to the Vreed-en-Hoop and Stabroek ferry stellings while climate design work and feasibility studies for the new stellings have been completed. The minister said that preliminary designs will be completed in April while final designs will be done by May this year.
The minister is currently presiding as part of a caretaker government with general elections due on March 2nd, 2020.
Meantime, it was disclosed that of its current budget of $38.7 billion dollars last year, the entire sum was spent. With regards to it capital budget, 84% was spent amounting to $34.1 billion dollars.
Patterson noted that a decision was made by President David Granger last year to have a Service Division which led to an increase in staff last July. Sixty new persons, within the technical and the non-technical fields, were hired.
Regarding the Work Services Group which deals with roads, bridges, and sea defence projects, among others, it was stated that of the $29.8 billion allocated to the unit for the year’s projects, $23.6 billion was expended with $2.1 billion spent on the bypass projects on the East Bank and East Coast Demerara. Patterson posited that a shortage of materials contributed to the incompletion of works.
For sea defence, $5.76 billion was allocated to this sector, all of which was exhausted. Emergency works done in Mahaicony were among the expenses, Patterson said.
Meantime, $200 million was spent on ocean-going vessels. The budget for this, as well as for the overpasses, are loans from the government of India, Patterson said.
It was noted that the sums of $2.1 billion and $1.4 billion were set aside for roads under the miscellaneous roads programme. Under the programme, 229 roads were tendered of which 42% have been completed and regarding urban roads, 53 roads were tendered with 78% completed. The Special Projects Unit was assigned $1.6 billion dollars for the patching of roads while $317 million was dispensed for construction of bridges. Ten bridges were said to have been completed in regions 2, 3,4,5,6 and 10.
Regarding infrastructure development with a budget of $237 million, Patterson said, a large part of this went to the geometrical improvement of Hunter Street which is still an ongoing project. One of the main challenges was that the depth of excavation required was more than anticipated because of additional work to the drains. The project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, a total of 4,721 streetlights was installed along the highways in regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10. The largest percent of the installation was done in Region 4, which saw the setting up of 1,900 streetlights; Region 3, which saw a total of 1,150 while the remaining streetlights were divided among the other regions. Additionally through the Guyana Energy Authority (GEA), 462 integrated stand-alone solar streetlights were installed in the 10 administrative regions.
Eighty government buildings benefitted from solar panels in 2019. For the hinterland regions, a $165 million LED programme saw the switch of 22,177 lights to LED lights. Approximately 3,490 persons benefitted, Patterson informed. The minister noted that included in the 2019 budget were funds for a 72-kilowatt hybrid solar mini-grid system, which is currently being installed and commissioned in Moraikobai.
As regards the Demerara Habour Bridge, Patterson stated that the bridge saw expenditure of $731 million while it brought in revenue of $858 million. He said that the foundation for the new asphalt plant was completed and installation of the plant commenced on Monday. Installation will take approximately three weeks and the plant will be up and running by the end of the month, he said.
Meantime, Patterson said that the Power Producers Distributers Inc generated revenue of $2.6 billion while their expenditure was $2.547 billion. Their main objective is to keep the generator system operational and the state-controlled company has completed 10 major overhauls for the Guyana Power and Light, he said.
On the Transport and Harbours, Sharma indicated that the sector was allocated $180 million towards the maintenance of vessels while $885 million was allocated for maintenance of stellings. $89.9 million was expended on the MV Kanawan while $89.7 million was spent on the MV Sabanto. Rollover work regarding the rehabilitation of stellings saw expenditure of $350 million on phase two of the Bartica Stelling works. The total contract amounted to $579,994,180. Rollover work for the Leguan Stelling saw a contract of $508,413,010 being awarded. Current expenditure for the Parika Stelling was $12.8 million; Stabroek Stelling was $13.8 million; Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling $9.3 million; New Amsterdam Stelling $11 million; Supenaam Stelling $10.8 million; and Wakenaam Stelling $12.7 million, Sharma said.
