President Ramotar inspects Region 6 road projects - underscores their importance in agri development
Georgetown, GINA, April 5, 2012
President Donald Ramotar today visited several road projects that are in progress in Region Six where he underlined the impact they will have on transportation and agriculture and indicated that some other work in East Canje will begin shortly in order to bring some relief there.
Accompanied by a team comprising Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, Regional Chairman Region Six, David Armogan and senior officials from the Works Services Group of the Public Works Ministry, the Head of State visited the East and West Canje and the Black Push Polder roads, where projects are currently ongoing and the recently completed New Forest Sluice along the West Canje road.
After the visit, the Head of State at a press conference held at the Albion Estate said that he was pleased with the quality of work the residents are getting from contractors.
President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, flanked by Senior Public Works Officials and concerned residents during an inspection of the Black Bush Polder road, Region Six
“The job that they have will contribute to the further economic development of the region because it will facilitate transport…this being a very important area that is involved in agricultural production to get stuff to the market in a quicker way…this I have no doubt will make a major contribution generally to Region 6, specifically to farmers, workers and businesses as a whole in this region,” the Head of State said.
He added that, whilst contractors are generally behind schedule, he has been assured that they will be working hard to catch up.
Works ongoing to the Black Bush Polder road
“They are determined to catch up with the work…we have also looked at some areas where remedial work has to be done particularly in the Black Bush area and some of the other areas in the East and West Canje, which seem to be in a large way completed and the amount of work to be done is not as much as in the Black Bush area…some work in East Canje will begin shortly after the budget, in order to bring some relief there…we are looking to see how we can put some more effort to ensure that the people there have good transportation as well,” the Head of State said.
Additionally, the heightened economic activity in the East Canje area further increases the need for continuous investment to the road networks.
Highway Engineer Ron Rahaman walks President Donald Ramotar through a map of the West Canje road, which illustrates the scope of works to be completed
Minister Benn said that more work will be done; as the budget caters for it.
“We are doing some small interventions for now…we slated immediate rehabilitation work that is pending in the budget in the amount of about $90M, which caters for the works to stop at Everton…we are looking at further refining of the design based on the needs going further up to some of the other farming communities…,” Minister Benn said.
He added that with the new cement bagging facility in the area, road construction material coming out of the area and the construction of a new fertilizer plant are measures taken into consideration for the initial design of the road to be altered to cater for such heavy - duty vehicles, as such more than $90M will be spent.
President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, flanked by Senior Public Works Officials inspect the construction of a bridge on the West Canje road
The US$6.6M, 34-kilometre Black Bush Polder road should have been completed today, however due to the inclement weather and the cropping season for rice, a new completion date has been set for November, whilst works are continuing on the West Canje road project.
Whilst in Berbice, the Head of State used the opportunity to interact with residents of the communities he visited and listen to their concerns that included the provision of electricity, roads and drainage.
Head of State Donald Ramotar and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, flanked by Senior Public Works Officials inspects the New Forest Sluice, Region Six
At the Head of State’s visit to the Mibicuri Hospital, whilst the hospital is adequately staffed and stocked with medicine, nurses alerted him that their living quarters need rehabilitation.
The President informed them that money has been allocated in this year’s budget for rehabilitation to their hostel.
Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn and President Donald Ramotar listen to some of the concerns of Berbice residents.