Almost $90M in contracts signed for infrastructure works in St. Cuthbert’s Mission

Residents of St. Cuthbert’s Mission/Pakuri Village, Region Four can expect the commencement of infrastructural works in the community, as 18 community participation contracts were awarded on Friday.

The contracts, totalling nearly $90 million were signed between the residents of St. Cuthbert’s Mission and the Ministry of Public Works.

The works involve the construction of approximately 900 metres of reinforced concrete internal community roads.

This is a follow-up to a commitment made by His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a visit to the community in March. During his visit, the head of state said government will partner with the community and its residents to train them and utilise their skills and labour to construct concrete roads in the community.

Consistent with the twomonth deadline attached to this commitment, residents will soon benefit from enhancement works on a number of the roads.

President Ali had said,

“Whether you’re on the highway, whether you’re in the hinterland, the riverine community, you’re in an urban centre, we are going to go there, we are going to meet you. Every single community we are trying to visit, every single community we’re trying to get into, because we want to hear from the people themselves.”

This also forms part of the government’s drive to involve communities in the larger development agenda while supporting local economies.

Works moving apace on Eteringbang Airstrip – Edghill

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill has assured that works on the Eteringbang airstrip in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) are advancing.

Providing an update recently, the minister said the government recognises the importance of the airstrip and is working diligently to deliver the project to the people. “Eteringbang is in a strategic location, and that is why we have the Guyana Defence Force working on fixing that airstrip. It is an important artery, and it is necessary, but we are advancing,” he said.

Eteringbang is located on the Upper Cuyuni River close to the Guyana-Venezuela border.

The project is being undertaken 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.

GDF was tasked with implementing the project through its engineering corps, while contracts have been awarded for the supply of material to the site.

In 2020, the government committed to the rehabilitation of 2,100 feet of the Eteringbang airstrip and works commenced in September 2022.

The 2023 budget allocated $1.6 billion for the rehabilitation of airstrips to be completed by the first half of 2023.

These are the Eteringbang and Ekereku Bottom in Region Seven and Karisparu in Region Eight. These upgrades will make the airstrips compliant with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s minimum engineering standards.

Over $600M being injected to drill wells in Region Nine this year

Residents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will soon have enhanced access to potable water and service, with the drilling of 14 wells and expansion to several water distribution systems.

Areas to benefit include Aishalton, Awarewarnau, Maruranau, Semonie, Quiko, Rupertee, Fairview, Hiowa, Quatata, Shiriri, Katoonarib, Sand Creek, Potarinau, and Kaicumbay.

Some communities will also benefit from expansion to distribution networks and installation of photovoltaic systems.

These include Aranaputa, Moco Moco, Sand Creek, Karasabai, Wowetta, Quiko, Massara, Baitoon, Potarinau, Crash Water, Katuur, Tiger Pond, Karaudarnau, Kumu, Kaicumbay, Cracrana, and

Baishaidrum.

This is in keeping with the government’s 2021 to 2025 strategic plan, as part of its initiatives to increase access to clean water and upgrade water supply infrastructure nationwide.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal said the government’s intervention in the water sector for the entire region will further enhance water coverage.

“We have over $600 million by GWI that is being invested for the drilling of a number of wells and expansion of distribution networks. By the end of this year, Region Nine will see somewhere around 95 per cent coverage of water to all the villages in the entire region,” Minister Croal disclosed.

Further, he also urged the residents to take ad - vantage of the training programmes offered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) to be upskilled, which will enable them to have sustainable incomes.

“We want to quickly move so that the benefits, the services, and the better quality of life that you see elsewhere you could benefit. We want to ensure that we also create employment so that many persons can make use of the opportunities in various areas,” the minister added.

This year, the government injected $17.7 billion for the water expansion and management of the sector, with $1.4 billion going towards upgrading and extending water supply systems in hinterland communities across Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight, and Nine.