SEVERAL pieces of equipment valued more than $23M were presented, on Tuesday last, to the Region Eight administration to accelerate its road upgrading programme.

A statement from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said the presentation is a further display of Government’s commitment to improved infrastructure in the hinterland areas of Guyana.
The equipment including a tractor, trailer and excavator, were handed over by Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn, to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Mr. Kellawan Lall, who subsequently presented the resources to Region Eight Chairman Mr. Senor Bell.

The handing-over exercise took place in the compound of the Public Works Ministry in Kingston, Georgetown, in the presence of various senior officials of the Public Works, Local Government and Amerindian Affairs Ministries and Region Eight administration.

Minister Benn explained that the equipment is to boost the road building and upgrading efforts in Region Eight, particularly in the high Pakaraimas plateau at areas such as Paramakatoi which was started by former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Mr. Harripersaud Nokta.

Improvement of roads in the region is expected to enhance transportation access, thereby reducing the cost of living since it will enable easy transport for goods, services and other materials into the communities and aid the export of food to other areas.

Minister Lall also highlighted the importance of the equipment to developing the region’s capacity for aggressive road improvement since it is often difficult to transport coastal resources to carry out such development in the far-flung areas.

The Regional Chairman expressed gratitude to Government and the two Ministries for the equipment which will be used to upgrade approximately 187 miles of roadway in the

region. The upgrading will be carried out by the region’s local workforce within a scheduled work programme.

The initiative forms part of Government’s wider programme for the development of hinterland infrastructural through which approximately $800M is being expended to construct and repair roads and bridges in various communities.

Already, approximately $159M has been spent this year to procure capital equipment to carry out the road works in the hinterland.

At present, the Linden/Ituni/Kwakwani roadway is being upgraded while efforts are underway to carry out similar works at other areas such as Mahdia and Bartica. The projects include a $27M investment to construct a road from Mango Landing to Mahdia while the thoroughfare in the Mahdia community will be upgraded. The route from Mahdia to Denham Bridge will also be improved.

Recently, a $24M contract was finalised for upgrading of bridges along the Linden/Lethem roadway and these works are expected to commence shortly while negotiations on the scope and cost to undertake repairs to the actual roadway is ongoing with a contractor.

GINA noted that over the years, the administration has invested significantly in this area through which a road was built from Kamana to Waipa in Region Eight and later extended to Kaibarupai, the last community located along the Ireng River.