Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, will be on an official visit to India from 12-16 June 2022, for the launch ceremony of the ocean-going cargo-cum-passenger ferry vessel being built for Guyana by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. as part of Government of India’s Line of Credit-cum-Grant project.
On January 13 last year, the Transport and Harbours Department signed a US$12.7M contract with the Indian company to commence the construction of the ocean-going passenger and cargo ferry for the North West District and other parts of the country. The signing marked the end of a years-long delay in the major project.
The ministry had said then that the ship can accommodate 294 passengers (including 14 crew members) along with 14 cars, two trucks and 14 containers & cargo.
A release today from the Indian High Commission said that the Ministerial delegation will also comprise of Joan Edghill – spouse of the Minister who will launch the vessel into water, Rosalinda Rasul – Chairperson, Transport and Harbours Development Board, and Patric Thompson – Chief Transport Planning Officer, Ministry of Public Works.
The delegation is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Sunday, 12 June 2022 and will depart New Delhi for Kolkata on Tuesday, 14 June 2022 to lead the launch ceremony. The release said that the delegation will be in New Delhi for 2 days during which Edghill would be meeting Government of India senior Ministers: Jyotiraditya Scindia – Minister of Civil Aviation, and Raj Kumar Singh – Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy.
The Minister will also visit an Ethanol Blending Facility for petroleum, belonging to the Oil Public Sector Enterprise Indian Oil Corporation which could be of importance to Guyana, since Guyana is a major sugarcane producing country and is very active in climate change mitigation efforts, the release added.
