Latest update April 6th, 2025 11:06 AM
Latest News
- High Court bars GRA from seizing Team Mohamed’s luxury vehicles
- Oil spill will hit Guyana’s shores before capping stack arrives to plug leak
- UN says 100 children killed or injured in Gaza every day since war resumed
- Guyana received US$605M oil money in first quarter of 2025
- ‘Tariff war’ spells grave danger for the Region – CARICOM Chair Mottley
Contractor launches wharf facility, river dredge
President David Granger has emphasised that by ensuring there is infrastructure to facilitate cheaper transport services, the competitiveness of Guyana’s productive sector will be vastly improved.
The Head of State’s comments came as he was commissioning the GAICO Construction and General Services Incorporated’s Wharf Facility and a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge, at Nismes, West Bank Demerara, on Monday.
In addition to the construction of the new wharf, over the next few months the company will develop packaging and manufacturing facilities, which will serve the West Bank Demerara area and other surrounding communities further up the Demerara River.
In applauding the company for the investment into the sector, the President said that this is a clear indication that the company is catering to the needs of the country in which they operate.
President Granger participating in the symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony for the commissioning of the GAICO Wharf Facility and Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge.
The Head of State being presented with a boat to be used for ferrying children in riverain communities to school, by GAICO CEO, Komal Singh.
“The situation around our wharves presents a huge bottleneck affecting the mooring and navigation of vessels, and this will allow Guyana to provide better services to all of our shippers,” Mr. Granger said.
He is confident that shippers will take advantage of the new services and that it will stimulate more economic activity.
“Our government aims to give Guyanese a good life, but most of all we want a strong economy… and a strong economy requires that we catalyse our productive services and sector by linking our hinterland with the coastlands… an efficient maritime transport service and system is critical in the realisation of a strong economy,” the President added, according to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency.
Describing the hinterland as a main repository for natural resources in Guyana, President Granger said this initiative will provide greater access, while affording the provision of additional services to riverain communities that depend heavily on the mining and forestry sectors.
“A sound economy will ensure that goods produced in our communities will get to markets. Internal markets are small, and there is need for produce to get to those larger markets.”
President Granger pointed out that over the years, the heavily silted Demerara River has had a severe impact on the volume of goods that can be transported from hinterland areas, since larger ships cannot access the river channels. This has had an impact on Guyana’s export capacity.
“This investment will reduce economic disparities and it will contribute to empowering the poor,” the President added.
He noted that initiatives like this one will open more opportunities for the growth of the economy as it will now make way for larger ships reaching inland areas, and allow for a wider range of economic activities for the local economy. More importantly, he said, with the dredging of the Demerara River and other main rivers, Guyana can become a maritime gateway to South America and a gateway from South America to CARICOM.
Also at the event, the President was presented with a boat which will be used to ferry school children from riverain communities to school.
Having received a similar gift at his 70th Birthday celebration, President Granger had declared, “Hold the frankincense and myrrh and give me boats instead.”
Chief Executive Officer of GAICO Construction, in responding to that call, had presented the President with the boat, bearing the name, “David G”.
The boat will be handed over to the Ministry of Social Cohesion, after which it will be formally presented to a selected community.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
This must not be our hour of humiliation
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- There are moments in the history of nations when fate lays before them a choice not of... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
