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Quarry owners can be sanctioned if breach new weight limit on roadways – Public Works Ministry
(Kaieteur News) – The Ministry of Public Works has stated that sand, loam and stone quarry owners can be sanctioned if they fail to comply with the new weight limits per axle regulations for trucks on the roadways.
On Friday afternoon, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, Minister within the Ministry Madanlall Ramraj, along with Commissioner of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Newell Dennison and Deputy Commissioner, Jimmy Reece, met with quarry owners at the Ministry’s boardroom where they discussed the importance of enforcing the new weight limit.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, Minister within the Ministry Madanlall Ramraj, along with Commissioner of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Newell Dennison and Deputy Commissioner, Jimmy Reece during a meeting with quarry owners on Friday.
Providing details of the meeting, the ministry noted that the sand, loam and stone quarry owners were reminded of their responsibility in ensuring compliance as failure to do so will result in the owners losing economic activity and earnings.
Kaieteur News understands that the meeting follows the ministry’s recent countrywide weight testing exercise by its Traffic and Maintenance Department. Since testing began, the ministry indicated that over 1000 trucks were tested, with many surpassing the limit and revealing the growing non-compliance among truck operators.
According to the ministry, it is on this basis, Minister Edghill during his engagement charged the operators to collaborate with government to ensure the heavy investments which are being made to expand the country’s road infrastructure remains in good condition.
A national weight restriction of 15-tonne per axle is in effect to curb the excessive deterioration to the road surfaces. “Roads have lives, and those lives are being cut short not just by traffic volume, but by weight overload. Most of these roads have a 20 years lifespan, however, these can be cut to seven due to these challenges. So you have to help us by only loading the trucks with the material to match their weight limit. And you can do so by having on-site scales at your quarries. Don’t let trucks leave your quarry overweight,” the minister told the operators. Minister Edghill also made it clear, if this cooperation is not enacted in the nearest future, “the Ministry will be left with no choice but to also sanction the quarry owners directly for breaches.”
The ministry is also set to implement its Clamping of Overweight Truck Exercise, and this will commence after the procurement of 1,000 clamps.
Further, Minister Edghill reminded all present at the meeting, their partnership with government is not meant to be punitive but rather a corrective system for a new culture on the roadways. “We don’t want to use these clamps; we want everyone to comply. We’re guided by principles, and everyone must follow the rules. Non-compliance will not be tolerated,” he informed owners.
During the meeting, it was disclosed that the Ministries is looking to establish weighing sites along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and the Linden to Mabura Trail. “This also intends to address logging haulers to ensure weight compliance,” the ministry added.
Speaking to the quarry owners, Minister Ramraj noted that the ministry remains cognizant of the importance of partnerships with the construction sector, particularly the stone, sand and loam are essential to progress but they must be transported responsibly. This publication reported that on Thursday, Minister Edghill announced the launch of two new hotline numbers where citizens and contractors can raise their concerns. At Friday’s meeting, it was disclosed that since the establishment of this new initiatives, over 100 reports about various issues were lodged with the ministry within the first 24 hours.
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