In his address on the occasion of Guyana’s 55th Anniversary as a Republic, President Ali waxed lyrical on Sunday morning about the great advancements throughout the country.
He said in part: “Over the past four years, Guyana’s infrastructural landscape has undergone a phenomenal transformation, marked by both groundbreaking mega projects and also important projects at the local level. Major ongoing initiatives such as the Gas-to-Energy project, the construction of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge, and the new Wismar River Bridge are revolutionising transportation and energy security.
“The construction of the Mandela-to-Diamond Road with its many bypasses and the Ogle-to-Eccles Road artery link are significant economic activity, reducing travel time and congestion. Ongoing works on the Linden-to-Mabura road and the acquisition and operation of the MV Ma Lisha are expanding access to previously unserved regions. At the local levels, we have upgraded and constructed more than 10,000 community roads. An astounding feat in so short a time!”
There is no gainsaying that there is evidence of great works being done. How and when they are completed and whether their development was judicious, well planned, in compliance with procurement laws and free from corruption have to be carefully examined.
One can’t avoid wondering, however, whether in the hurly-burly of these developments the government is missing opportunities to do things correctly and comprehensively in the interest of the people. President Ali on Sunday mentioned the operation of the MV Ma Lisha to the northwest which had its maiden voyage on August 11, 2023. However, it wasn’t until a Stabroek News trip aboard the ferry and a story that appeared on January 24, 2025 that the grievances of northwest residents about the limited cargo capacity of the MV Ma Lisha became known.
Goods were often left back in Georgetown because of the limited capacity. At the Kumaka Landing, shop owners, hucksters and tradespeople spoke at length with the newspaper about the challenges they face as they rely on the ferry system to deliver essential supplies to the bond at Kumaka. They even went as far as to express a preference for the older MV Kimbia.
Following the publication of the news item, it has been announced that the MV Kimbia will resume operations to the northwest following dry docking. Who in the transport sector had carefully examined the cargo carrying capacity of the MV Ma Lisha and determined whether it would be sufficient for the expected growth in traffic to the north west? Who examined the response of the citizens at both ends of the ferry run to determine whether they were satisfied with the cargo arrangements on MV Ma Lisha?
Back on the water, this time in the Puruni River, a policeman died tragically last week during a patrol. Lance Corporal Jermaine Batson jumped from a boat whose engine had failed along the turbulent waters of the river. He clung desperately to a branch until he could probably no longer do so and the treacherous current pulled him away. He did not appear to be wearing a life jacket. This is appalling. The police force administration must answer to the river worthiness of its craft conducting patrols in riverain areas, whether the engines are suitable for these locations, if those patrolling are aware of how to navigate these waters and whether safety gear including the life jackets are being issued and are mandatory.
What do the Police Commissioner and the Minister of Home Affairs have to say about this tragic occurrence? This is another occupational death. What will the Minister of Labour have to say about this and the other deaths that yield no justice for families and allow employers to get off scot-free without accountability for the poor conditions that led to deaths?
While the Lance Corporal died executing his duties in gruelling conditions, a new Brickdam Police Station, “poised to be a beacon of modernity and efficiency”, is being erected, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. It is a US$28 million state-of-the-art, 12-storey building that will serve as “a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to providing cutting-edge facilities for its law enforcement agencies.”
It’s another example of the gleaming image being projected for the country by the Ali administration while the working conditions for the Lance Corporal and others like him are throughly substandard.
Still on the river, this time the Cuyuni, GDF soldiers on a resupply mission on February 17th between Eteringbang and Makapa came under gunfire at about 3.45 pm by Sindicatos across in Venezuela. Six of the GDF soldiers were injured but could not be immediately evacuated from the area because of the challenging terrain. They were instead transported by boat to the Kurutuku Health Centre for medical treatment. A source told this newspaper that “the toshao of Kurutuku drove up Kanaima falls to go for them since (the) Makapa outpost wasn’t equipped.” It wasn’t until the next morning that they were transported to Georgetown.
It has been clear for a long time that given incidents on the river and ongoing Venezuelan belligerence that Eteringbang needed to be transformed into a forward base to address precisely incidents like that on February 17th. The fact that there was no immediate response from Eteringbang to the needs of the soldiers leaves one to wonder about the state of the airstrip there and other facilities. At last word on November 4th last year, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said that the rehabilitation of the airstrip was expected to be completed before the end of this year.
“Before the end of the year, the Eteringbang airstrip will be completed”, he said. This announcement came after a delay from the original deadline of July 2023 and then the updated deadline of December 2023.
The airstrip had faced significant safety concerns for several years. Local pilots had reported that heavy rainfall turns the runway dangerously slippery, complicating both take-offs and landings.
President Ali in his Republic day addressed quite rightly hailed the six soldiers but the delayed response to their wounding and whether facilities at Eteringbang have been adequately upgraded to address emergencies fall into the category of the things that are being overlooked in this drive to transform Guyana.
In his concluding remarks yesterday, the President said: “We are building a Guyana that works for all its people. A Guyana in which prosperity will be achieved for every single Guyanese, every single family and every single community. We are building a Guyana that works for all its people, including children, women, young people, miners, farmers, public servants, our indigenous peoples—everyone across our Republic”. It was a very ambitious declaration but not matched by the evidence on the ground.
