Latest update February 8th, 2025 4:17 AM
Latest News
- Soaring gold price entices Canadian company to renew permits in Guyana
- Terrence Campbell accuses Govt. of weaponizing Police Force after calls for accountability with oil revenues
- China slams US as Panama quits Belt and Road Initiative
- Guyana extradites fugitive to Canada
- AFC Leader Nigel Hughes welcomes any investigation into lands he acquired
Squatters to be removed to facilitate Independence Boulevard enhancement project – Edghill
Kaieteur News – The Public Works Ministry will be engaging the Housing and Water Ministry to put systems in place to relocate squatters residing at Cemetery Road, Punt Trench, and Saffron Street to facilitate the Independence Boulevard enhancement project.
A staff member of the Public Works Ministry engages one of the squatters
Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill on Wednesday engaged the squatters to chart a way forward for the $1.5 billion project. “Quite a few people who have dwelling, have already applied for house lots, we will engage the Ministry of Housing and Water to see how we can get them relocated fastest so that we can get this process going,” Minister Edghill was quoted in a Department of Public Information bulletin as saying.
The 1.8-kilometre Independence Boulevard project will be constructed in three phases. There will be two carriageways, a double and a single on each side. Concrete drains will also be constructed, along with a promenade between the two carriageways. The engagement with the Housing Ministry will allow squatters to acquire a title, and comfortable living accommodations, while enabling them to access legal electricity and water. It is a demonstration of the PPP/C Administration’s commitment to supporting every Guyanese, as the country continues on its upward trajectory. “We have engaged everybody. We don’t want to take a strong-arm approach, so we have engaged people to move and we will provide whatever support,” the minister stated.
He extended sincere gratitude for the level of cooperation by businesses and squatters following the discussions. Meanwhile, the Minister pleaded with the public to refrain from turning the relocation process into a political issue. “Anybody who wants to make small politics and create confusion out of this will not be tolerated, because the general attitude is people want to see that this area developed,” he emphasised.
Edghill back in August had launched the enhancement projects valued at almost $1.5 billion in total for Independence Boulevard and Cemetery Road, Georgetown, which he said would transform the surrounding communities from the “ghetto” to a “valued” part of the capital city. As part of the project, there will be the upgrading of Cemetery Road on both of the carriageways from Princes Street all the way out to Mandela Avenue. “We are ensuring that you can get traffic two lanes going and two coming, so Cemetery Road is turning into a four-lane,” Edghill had told residents during the launch. The Minister had also disclosed that the government will be fencing the Le Repentir Cemetery and had noted that no graves will be removed in order for the road to be upgraded.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
What Guyanese leaders can learn from Donald Trump
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-There is little dispute that Donald Trump knows how to make an entrance. He does so without... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
