Chinese firms among 14 bidding to resurface Soesdyke- Linden Highway

Dec 09, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Fourteen Contractors are competing to be pre-qualified for the Ministry of Public Works’ project to resurface the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. Five of those contracting firms are of Chinese origin.

At the opening of tenders on Wednesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that the 14 Contractors are Ashoka Buildcon Ltd., Novus Construction & Supply Inc., Namalco Construction Services Limited in joint venture with Guy-America Construction Inc., Environmental & Engineering Solutions Inc., Construction & Industrial Equipment Limited, Junior Sammy Group of Companies, BK International Inc., China Harbour Engineering Company Limited(China), MIR-Akhter in joint venture with Hego, China Railway First Group Company Limited (China), China Road & Bridge Corporation (China), ALYS Construction S.A.,Shandong Luqiao Group Company Limited(China), and China Railway Construction Caribbean Company Limited (CRCCCL) in joint venture with China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group (CRCBEG).

The Government of Guyana has received financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to fund the resurfacing project.

Kaieteur News had reported that the Government had requested a US$120M loan from the Bank to rehabilitate the highway. During a recent visit to Linden in October, President Irfaan Ali informed residents that the loan was approved. The Soesdyke-Linden Highway connects Region Four to the mining town of Linden in Region 10.

Some sections of the Soesdyke – Linden Highway.

The US$120M loan would now be added to the G$2.6B that was allocated for the project in this year’s budget for the rehabilitation of the highway. The Public Works Ministry in an advertisement had noted that its Work Services Group (WSG) is responsible for the overall implementation of the project.

The project entails reconstruction of approximately 73km of the asphaltic concrete pavement from the Soesdyke junction to the Wismar Bridge in Linden. Key elements of the scope of works include, milling of existing asphalt surface course, application of varying pavement structures above the milled sections of pavement inclusive of asphalt, sand asphalt &/ sub-base, full depth pavement reconstruction in certain sections, construction of two roundabouts along the alignment, sidewalk extensions to 9 multi-span bridges, drainage works and utility relocation and installation of roadway lighting.

In March, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated at an outreach in Linden that the road was in dire need of repairs. He had explained that while the Government has spent money repairing the road, because of exhaustive use, it has returned to a dilapidated state.

In 2021, the Government spent about $150M to upgrade sections of the roadway as well as drainage works. Despite this, following a trip to the mining town, the VP stated that “the highway is in a horrible state… it is in a bad state coming up here”.