Govt. holds consultation with residents that will be affected by US$192M E.C.D road project

Jul 24, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill on Saturday met with residents of East Coast Demerara communities, who will be affected by phase two of the Expansion of the Railway Embankment and the East Coast Public Road projects.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill at the consultation on Saturday

Guyana signed a US$192 million Framework Concessional Loan Agreement with China to finance Phase Two of the E.C.D road project. Phase Two of the project will include extension of the Railway Embankment Road into four lanes from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau, extension of the main East Coast Roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, as well as rehabilitation of the existing East Coast Demerara road from Belfield to Orange Nassau, which will allow for additional lanes.

The consultative meeting with the residents was held at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute at Cove and John, with the minister, the contracting company for the project, China Railway First Group (Guyana) Incorporated and its engineering company, Boston Consulting Incorporated.

During the meeting, Minister Edghill reminded the residents that it is government’s policy and the contractual obligation to consult with persons living around an area where a major project is scheduled to be conducted. He reiterated the Government’s policy of ensuring consultation with communities before infrastructural projects start, during and after they have been completed.

The minister said, “The Government’s policy as it relates to consulting with citizens is this, we don’t believe in bullying, we don’t believe in just showing up and people don’t know what is going on, so we consult, two, the regularity of our consultation is because of the pace and scope of what is taking place in Guyana, there were times when we did one project at a time, but right now in Guyana, simultaneously, there are several major projects that are happening at the same time..Here on the East Coast, we have phase two (2) of the widening and enhancement project.”

“Guyana is being modernized and transformed, I think all of us know, but what we don’t know is the rate of that modernization,” Minister Edghill added.

Following his remarks, the project consultant, engineering company Boston Consulting Incorporated, and manager of China Railway made presentations about the project for the benefit of the residents gathered.

Residents were given the opportunity to ask questions about the projects. During this part of the consultation, Minister Edghill assured residents several times that they will not be displaced. He urged their cooperation as upon completion, not only their community, but all of Guyana will benefit.

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