Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill says that the deadline for the rehabilitation of the Eteringbang airstrip in Region Seven has now been pushed back to the end of the year. It was to have been completed in July.
“Before the end of this year, we expect to have the work completed,” Edghill said
Just before 2020, local aircraft pilots complained about the condition of the airstrip which is made of laterite and cited safety concerns during takeoffs and landings. Some of them related that after heavy rainfall, the runway becomes slippery posing a challenge to pilots during take-off and landing. Further, some portions of the runway had also eroded, posing even greater challenges.
The airstrip is known as high high-traffic location which sustains the community with its basic needs from medicine to food, among other necessities.
Noting the concerns, Edghill had visited the area to listen to the complaints of the residents back in 2020 and acknowledged that work needed to be done immediately given the importance of the access point.
As such, the first contract in the sum of $500,000, was awarded to community members to clear vegetation around the airstrip.
In September 2022, works commenced by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in collaboration with the Public Works ministry to upgrade the airstrip from laterite to concrete pavement at a total cost of $214.5 million.
The GDF is tasked with implementing the project through its engineering corps, while contracts have been awarded for the supply of material to the site.
These rehabilitation works according to the government, will cover some 2,100 feet of the airstrip. This meant that the airstrip, one of the main gateways to the Eteringbang Community in Region Seven was closed and since then there have been some issues according to residents. One resident explained that those trying to get to Eteringbang now have to use the Cuyuni River which separates Guyana from Venezuela.
This has resulted in harassment from Venezuelan border patrols and gangs even though Guyana has control over that part of the river.
They indicated that for the past six or more years, some persons had no option but to relocate while others have to fend for themselves despite the presence of members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the border between Guyana and Venezuela.
It is alleged that there are four checkpoints between Akarabisi and Eteringbang (one National Guard and three Sindicatos) and at every checkpoint they would have to stop and allow the armed guards and ‘Sindicato’ to examine their boats. Additionally, depending on what they are transporting, they are also required to pay, for example, $2,000 per drum of fuel, food, and other supplies.
They also bemoaned the fact that the airstrip had been closed for months with no commercial flights going into the area.
Just a few weeks ago, miners, shopkeepers and residents in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni community again complained about harassment and robbery by the Venezuelan National Guard and the notorious Sindicato gang.
In March this year, the Region Seven Commander, Dion Moore, had said that the security issue remained under control even though a resident who spoke with Stabroek News disagreed vehemently.
Following that, Stabroek News also spoke with Edghill, and at that time he said that the airstrip completion was set for the month of July. July has passed and Edghill, says plans are now in place to ensure the airstrip is completed by yearend.
