Latest update April 3rd, 2026 12:35 AM
Guyanese deserve durable infrastructure built to standard, not shortcuts for political timelines
Dear Editor,
Residents have drawn my attention to worrying defects now appearing on the newly opened Buzz Bee Dam–Craig road linkage. The surface already shows signs of warping and waviness, visible failures that no brand-new G$10 billion highway should exhibit mere weeks after commissioning.
According to an independent engineer who assessed the road, “What we see here is a failure in the wearing course, the asphaltic layer of the road.” He explains that this kind of failure points to deeper structural problems in the construction process, either by the contractor, the supervising engineer, or both.
In technical terms, the problem lies beneath the asphalt. The sub-base and base courses appear to have been improperly compacted, falling below the ASTM-required 95% Proctor Density. When those layers move, the asphalt above them warps. The engineer further warns that a failed clay shoulder could be worsening the instability: “A road is only as strong as its shoulder.”
These are not cosmetic flaws; they are signs of systemic failure and require urgent investigation.
This road, completed hurriedly before the 2025 elections, now raises a series of questions that the Ministry of Public Works must answer:
What was the construction period for this project, from start to finish?
Was the Practical Completion Certificate properly signed off?
What is the duration of the Defects Liability Period?
If that period has expired, who bears responsibility for repairs?
What engineering procedure will be adopted to correct the defects?
At whose cost will the works be redone if the contractor has already been paid in full?
This is not the first time Guyanese taxpayers have faced such outcomes. The Schoonord-Crane four-lane highway opened with cracks and crumbling concrete within days; the Heroes Highway drew complaints about its uneven surface soon after completion. Yet each time, the public is told the defects are minor, while the costs and excuses pile up.
The Buzz Bee Dam road cannot become another case of ribbon-cutting before readiness. As an elected representative, I call for an independent engineering review, public disclosure of test results, and clear accountability for any substandard work. The people of Guyana deserve durable infrastructure built to standard, not shortcuts for political timelines.
Regards,
Sherod Duncan
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