New roads for Wakenaam

Jan 16, 2023 News

– 41 contracts awarded

Kaieteur News – Residents of Wakenaam in the Essequibo River are set to benefit from the construction of several brand new rigid concrete roads, to the tune of $792 million.

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Hon. Deodat Indar, addressing Wakenaam Contractors and Leaders on Friday

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the roads were identified in 2022 during a collaborative effort by the Public Works, Housing and Water, and Local Government and Regional Development Ministries, to assess which community roads required immediate intervention.

The roads identified included perimeter roads, as well as community roads.

In keeping with the execution of other similar Government projects, the construction of these roads will see Wakenaam Contractors sourcing labour from within the island, so as to expand economic opportunities for residents of the island.

The deteriorated road at Ridge, Wakenaam

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, during an engagement with Wakenaam Community Leaders and Contractors on Friday, highlighted the need for immediate mobilisation, as the state of some roads has rendered them difficult or impossible to use.

” I am telling you now, don’t go digging up people’s place if you know you’re not going to put in your lining, put in your steel, and your concrete. Don’t have people sitting a month, or two months, waiting on you to come back and fix things,” he cautioned Contractors.

During the discussion, Minister Indar also encouraged the Contractors to determine how they will source raw materials to build the roads, citing nationwide shortages of supplies, and attributing it to the massive number of construction projects being undertaken across the country.

Following the meeting, Minister Indar conducted a site visit to the lone road at Ridge, Wakenaam, which has been in a rapidly deteriorating state.

As such, he requested that immediate remedial works begin to improve the deplorable section of the road in order to reduce the hassle is poses for residents.

The Minister further encouraged the Contractors to submit samples of the reef sand from the island for testing, so that a determination of its suitability to be used on road projects can be made.

The 41 awarded contracts are part of the network of some 1,100 roads identified as priorities for construction across Guyana in 2022.