ESTABLISHMENT of a paved highway from Linden to Lethem remains a primary objective of the administration, and while this development is being pursued, investments are continuing to maintain and upgrade the current roadway.

This was highlighted over the weekend during which Prime Minister Samuel Hinds led a team of technical, economic and other personnel on an official inspection of the roadway to assess its current state and how it can be improved.

The team included members of the Thematic Group on Infrastructural Development in Guyana which involves representatives from the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation and the Central Housing and Planning Authority.

The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the National Agricultural Research Institute are also represented on the Thematic Group. In addition, there were officials from the National Competitiveness Strategy Secretariat, LINMINE Secretariat and the business community of Region Ten.

The team, which departed Georgetown on April 18, stopped at various sections and main points along the roadway where discussions were held based on the assessments conducted. The areas inspected included Mile 40, 42, 47, 58 and 63, Mabura Hill, Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) sawmill, Kurupukari, Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, Fairsview, Wowetta, Annai and Hunt Oil.

Prime Minister Hinds noted that while there are good sections of the roadway, there are patches that need to be upgraded since the aim is to provide an entire route that will allow easier and continuous transportation access. This is important since the roadway is likely to serve as the main artery from Boa Vista and Manaus through Lethem and Linden to Georgetown.

It was noted that another technical and economic study for paving the roadway is underway. Establishment of the paved road from Linden to Lethem is estimated at US$150M while improvement of the bridges may cost an additional US$100M. Consideration is being given to the economic feasibility of the project at this time when there is limited traffic averaging about five vehicles per day.

Government’s investment to improve and maintain the roadway has been costing $200M to $300M annually since 2005. The current maintenance arrangement for the route involves DTL, Omai Gold Mines, Mekdeci Machinery Company (MMC) and Central Government.

An inventory was conducted for the sections that are often flooded by the overflow of surrounding rivers in the rainy season and a programme has since been developed to raise and enhance the areas including the Hunt Oil section.

Plans are currently underway to invest $50M during this year to upgrade the roadway while there is a programme that focuses on maintenance and upgrading of the bridges.

Senior Engineer of the Works Services Group (WSG), Leon Goring, said there are three other bridges to be addressed under this programme after which focus will be placed on increasing the weight-bearing capacity of the structures.

Engineer Joe Holder pointed out that the existing bridges from Mabura to Kurupukari were established mainly for logging operations and are ‘bush-type’ structures that have served their function over the years. However, there is need to replace these with modern structures.

It was noted that the section from Kurupukari to Lethem includes timber bridges that were built with the road and some of these structures now need upgrading. These include the Piarara Bridge for which proposals have been submitted to the Indian and Japanese Government seeking support to facilitate re-construction.

The Linden/Lethem roadway currently supports economic activities such as lumber and mining for communities along the route.

In recent years, a corridor development plan was established that sets the framework for investments and utilisation of certain sections along the roadway for housing, agricultural and other purposes.