The rainy season does wreak havoc on these types of roads. I believe that it is Barama that is tasked with upkeeping these roads as they charge tolls. But we must be careful what fools post, just a picture and a wild claim about road "just repaired", very vague statements but fodder for the AFC boys.

This has been going on for years now. Sub-standard and poorly chosen projects are the order of the day.

All roads and bridges have been repaired and rebuilt.

You morons think that they can last forever?

To singleout a road at Ituni where a handful of people live is the low of the lowest.

Is this how you pricks are going to win the election?

Fyrish residents protest frequent substandard repairs to major access road
FEBRUARY 19, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS


Residents during the protest on Thursday

Concerned residents of Fyrish on the Corentyne came out in their numbers on Thursday to protest the faulty repair works that are being carried out on the Fyrish Road. They staged a protest in front of the Gibraltar/Courtland Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) office, citing discrimination by the Regional Administration. One resident, Megan Lambert, stated that she is fed up with the substandard work that is being done on the road each month. “Every month the region keeps doing this road, patching here and there and yet it keeps breaking up and they do it again”, she argued. The residents argued that within one month, the road usually become impassable after which the region would allocate more monies to do more works again.

Lambert also said that she suspects the materials that were supposed to be used to do proper work on the road are being stolen and diverted to other locations because she saw trucks taking materials away from the worksites. She said that she has information that stealing might be occurring. Also present during the protest was PNCR Councillor, Deborah Hurst, who stated that she represents the issue during every RDC Meeting but only promises are being made.
She added that the road is being repaired for over 16 years now and no repair has lasted more than a few months. “They are wasting taxpayers’ monies and the monies are going into their pockets!” the councillor said. Hurst stated, too, that the NDC in the area is being controlled by the Region Seven RDC, hence they cannot “do better”.

Kaieteur News was able to contact Gibraltar- Courtland NDC Chairman, Edwin Mc Bean who expressed solidarity with the protesters. He said that the Ministry of Public Works and Hydraulics does maintenance frequently on the road but it makes no sense since every hour on the hour, the Albion Sugar Estate trucks travel on the road causing severe damages. “All the region does is that they patch and patch and next year it goes back to the same. The residents want a hot mixture with machine do the road,” the official stated. The Chairman said that the RDC ends up spending more money in the long run. He also accused the RDC of not informing the local authorities whenever they [the RDC] wants to do work on the roads.

“They don’t share the Bill of Quantities. We just see the contractors come and then we have to enquire who they are. We don’t have control over that, which isn’t good enough. The local authority is supposed to be informed long before it happens, and this is unsatisfactory,” he said. Some of the placards during the protest read, “Fyrish Road is a cash cow for big contractor. Fix today, break one month later. Time out, we had enough” and “Stop paying to full potholes every month!”

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha was out of office on Thursday afternoon and efforts to contact DIPCON road services proved futile. (Leon Suseran)

Source

Contractor unhappy over release of project specifications … after executing shoddy road works in Diamond
SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS

Fazal Ishak, the Vice Chairman of the Diamond Block 1&2 Community Development Council, has lodged a formal complaint with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development as it relates to shoddy road works. According to Ishak, in his complaint, it was set out in the Bill of Quantities that the contractor must square potholes and excavate roadway to an average of nine inches thick and dispose of unwanted material as directed by the Engineer. The contractor must also supply, cut, trim, and shape, and compact clay on shoulders as directed by the Engineer and dispose of excess clay off site. The contractor was also supposed to supply, place, shape and compact white sand/sand clay 9″ thick (40:60 mix) to excavated spots as well as supply and spread prime coat at 0.22 gal/syd (RC250) and applying 1″ thick white sand.

According to Ishak in his complaint, none of these requirements were met. The official in his complaint to the Permanent Secretary said that the contractor only scraped the old road, and at no time the contractor excavated the road to the specified 9″ inches. It was pointed out, also, that at no time did the contractor supply and compact clay on the shoulders of the roadway. “All that the contractor did was to use a Bobcat and scrape the shoulders and sell the material…at no time, did he supply white sand at 40:60 mixed to the excavated spot.4

It was pointed out to the PS also that at no time did the contractor supply or spread prime coat R.C.20 and apply one inch white sand. When questioned, the contractor did not explain why he did not apply the white sand. In fact, the contractor was more interested in how the CDC Vice Chairman came into possession of the contract documents, Ishak said. Ishak stated that when he measured the width of the roadway it was 10ft 8″. The width was supposed to be 12 feet. Ishak added that when this was pointed out to the contractor he said he would widen it. However, he just placed some chip seal. “I take my feet and scrape off the chip seal and told him this cannot work…The contractor then spread some tar and apply some chip seal and said the road is widened.” The contractor purportedly did work on some 716 feet of roadway, “and it already start to break up.” It was pointed out that some 102ft of roadway was not done to specification. The contractor only patched the holes.

The Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Ministry was invited to visit the project but to date this has not happened.

Source

Yakusari residents say main road deteriorating again
By ADMINISTRATOR |
LOCAL NEWS | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2007

Residents of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder (BBP) say the main access road that was fixed only late last year has already begun deteriorating with huge potholes and cracks all over. The residents told this newspaper during a visit that it seems as though “the road was done of poor standard that is why it breaking up so fast.” Further they said the appalling state of the roadways results in a longer time spent to traverse it and that “when we gat to go to the hospital in an emergency the road does delay we.”

A resident said because of the condition of the road their relatives have refused “to come in and visit we because they frighten they dig up dem vehicle.” According to the residents BBP is a rice growing area and heavy-duty vehicles have to traverse the road almost daily. They are also contending that this may be one of the reasons for it deteriorating. “They can’t stop the big trucks from working in here because it gat a rice mill and almost everybody does do rice wuk. That is what people depend on for a living so government should build the road wider and sturdier,” a resident said.

Contacted, regional chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapa commented that the main road at Yakusari falls under the Ministry of Public Works and that Chris Jagdeo’s Construction was contracted to start effecting minor repairs. Mustapha said some of the “contractors need to adhere to specifications of the road and have to report to the region at every stage.” While admitting that some contractors were doing sloppy work, he said the region has put a new system in place to correct that and they are now “getting better quality of road for the money.” According to the chairman, the new system entails the signing of contracts in the presence of residents, who also sign as witnesses. The residents also have to obtain copies of the “bill of quantities so they can monitor the quality of work and they have been reporting to me.”

He said residents have already spoken to him about providing a better road to accommodate the “heavy-duty vehicles” and he is making representation to ensure that this is done. Some road works, he said, have already been done at Mibicuri North and Johanna North at a cost of $6.5M and are about 90% completed. Mustapha said the technical advisor to the Minister of Public Works, Walter Willis visited the area and examined the road and would decide on the design of the road that is slated to start shortly. Meanwhile, the chairman said the region has acquired $46M under the capital roads programme budget. He said the Kilcoy/Fyrish roads have been upgraded from burnt earth to chip seal at a cost of $5M.

According to him upgrading works from crusher run to burnt earth are almost completed at Babu John Street at Port Mourant, Middle Street, John’s and at Molsen Creek, which has been delayed to facilitate cane-harvesting in the area. He said through the region’s maintenance programme they have maintained roads across the area including Fyrish, Manchester, East and West Canje and the East Bank of Berbice. (Shabna Ullah)

Source

The Upper Corentyne road is poor quality
By STABROEK STAFF |
LETTERS | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2009

Dear Editor,

The Upper Corentyne road is of very poor quality. There is no way in the world that a road of that quality could pass road specifications. If one were to drive a new car along it, it would feel like a ride in a donkey cart. The road is not smooth; pitch was just thrown on it and then levelled in an ‘anyhow’ way.

The paint which was used for the white and yellow lines also cannot pass through one good rainfall. The paint is too thin, the reflectors will not remain there for very long – they have started to come out – and many of the yellow signs in the corner of the road are peeling off already.

In addition, some people will destroy the road with combines and heavy-duty machines; especially when the sun is hot the machine tracks will break up the reflectors.

Yours faithfully,
Z. Ally

Source

What the people say about…The state of the roads in Linden
By CATHY RICHARDS |
DAILY, FEATURES | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2010

Lindeners have been complaining about the state of the roads; this week we ask drivers for their opinion. Their responses follow:

Keith Hollingsworth, taxi driver – ‘The state of roads in Linden is very bad. Even though they are trying to do over these roads they are not doing it correctly. They are supposed to be doing the roads along with proper drains. Additionally, when they are paving the road they are to do it from gutter to gutter because what is happening is that they are doing the mid section of the road and leaving the parapet area so when it rains the parapets erode taking the roads as well. They need to take example of how the Winifred Gaskin Highway was done. That is one of the best roads in Linden right now and it was done from gutter to gutter; even the drains were done. This thing where they are mixing the laterite with sand I don’t see it making sense. In the PNC times when they were building roads they did it with pure laterite and those roads stand up. Take a look at the roads in Block 22. I don’t know what they call that. Going there is like you going to the cane field. It is my money – because I pay taxes – they using to do the roads and they ain’t standing up. I want to see my money put spent properly.’

Dellon Johnson, short drop taxi driver – ‘The materials they are using today to do these roads they are saying it’s cheaper, everybody trying the cheaper way but when you look at it in the long run it makes no sense; within a matter of three months or even less the road gone again with lots of potholes. Driving on these roads is a disaster. When they are finished working and you drive on the road the bricks start rolling, when the sun is hot the tar melts and that’s another sad story for drivers, pedestrians and everyone. I feel if they are going to do the roads they should spend the money and do it right so that it would last longer and in the end cost less.’


LeAndre Johnson, driver – ‘Look at roads in Linden from a different angle. Today they are more vehicles on the streets in Linden than ever before and I strongly feel the traffic authorities should look into the proper erection of signs. For strangers coming to the town it is very hard to determine which streets are one-way from which are not. They also need to also look into street parking lots as well. Whenever there are activities the roads are usually impassable to vehicular traffic and this is because roads are too narrow and there is limited parking. So hand in hand with looking at repairing these terrible roads around we need to take into consideration those other issues I mentioned.’

Robert Greene, taxi driver – ‘I am not satisfied with the roads we have in Linden. As a taxi driver you go all around Linden you can see a lot of bad roads with potholes and a lot of things. When we take into consideration the building of the roads it is not properly built as far as I am concerned. As an ordinary citizen I can tell you that if you building roads you have to build it from one end to the other. What we are seeing now is them doing the middle part and leaving the sides unfinished and then the gutter piece is undone what happens is that the road will break away from both sides. Then eventually you don’t have any road and money is wasted and people are uncomfortable. The other thing is when we building drains we need to do them with solid cast and not these concrete blocks that they are using now. It can’t work we need solid drains that can effectively take off the water.’


Glenroy Tappin, taxi driver – ‘Basically I think the roads are in an atrocious condition. The majority of them are rough and rugged for the longest while. It seems like nobody cares especially those in authority of taking care of the road they don’t give a damn. There are many cases when you have to transport elderly folks, emergency cases, you have pregnant women and so on and these bad roads are affecting people and they need to be done. That’s how I see it. The other thing is that these roads are doing a lot of damage to people’s vehicles and so I think that something needs to be done about this very soon.’

Ruel Roberts, private car driver – ‘I am not a Lindener but I am visiting today and from what I see most of the roads are lower than the level of the drains and so when it rains the water overtops and floods the roads. I was fortunate to work on some of the roads at Wismar and what we did was to raise the roads a bit and that would have spoken to the flooding of some roads to a large extent. Other than that there are some roads that need urgent and careful rehabilitation.’


Rudolph Alexander, private car driver – ‘I want to talk about the roads in our community, Coomacka, which are very bad and need looking after. In Coomacka the roads have some really big potholes and most times the potholes are filled with water. When you drive through them it would be surprising how low your vehicle would go. In some sections there are drains across the roads it is even worse on the back road to Old England (Maria Elizabeth); there is actually a creek in the centre of the road. If we could get these roads repaired it would be very good. The entire mines road is very bad and this is because for a very long time they haven’t graded the road. We feel like the forgotten people in this part.’

Cleveland Barker, minibus driver – ‘I think the roads in Block 22 are really bad. The last time they came and did the roads I don’t know what in God’s name they did. They just graded it, throw a little bitumen, throw a little tar then in couple months the roads gone back to an even worse state than they were in the beginning. In Amelia’s Ward you have the same problem too. You can’t take your bus to some parts. Some customers get angry with you when you say you can’t take them there but we the drivers are the one whose pockets feel the squeeze. So let the world be friends with everyone – just do the roads properly. In Linden we have the worst roads and that’s a fact not an opinion.’

Elvin Lorrimer, minibus driver – ‘In Linden the roads around town are deplorable and I notice that they start doing some remedial works on it but even what they are doing is mediocre. They are putting some very thin layers of asphalt and in no time the roads are going to break up again. It’s such a waste of valuable time and money. I think they need to do better work. I don’t know if it’s the contractor and the money they are getting. But even when they do a road within two years it gone back with sheer potholes. They need to do something better to improve the state of roads in Linden. They need upgrading as one of the leading towns in Guyana.’


James Lewis Jr, taxi driver – ‘I think personally that the roads really need doing urgently because as a driver the cost for the parts that we usually have to be replacing and repairing is not feasible. Due to the bad state of the roads you find that people don’t get to be taken to the necessary area that they want to go because a lot of drivers don’t want to go certain places because of the state of the road and I think that if they look after the road, residents would be able to get a better service.’

Source

East Bank Berbice residents protest over state of road - repairs promised in four weeks
By ADRIAN SMITH |
LOCAL NEWS | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2009

Residents of Glasgow and nearby communities on the East Bank Berbice yesterday staged a protest demanding that the road in their area be fixed; standing on the road from 6 am and braving the scorching heat of the sun to demand attention to a problem they say “has been going on for years now.” Region Six Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha told the residents yesterday that a case had been made to the Ministry of Public Works for a proper road to be built and this would be addressed in another “two to four weeks’ time”. In the meantime, he said the region would continue to do remedial work.

According to Maxwell Semple, the president of the East Bank Berbice Hire Car Association, and a resident of Glasgow, “For years now this is being patched with red, and mud; we never a get a proper road. They never do any proper work here, never.” He told Stabroek News that the neglect is being reflected in the quality of the road. He does not feel that this neglect has anything to do with race or politics, because “the PNC fail we, now the PPP failing we, who we must turn to next?”


A drain in the middle of the Glasgow road

In the event there is a fire, he said, the fire tender will not be able to get to the destination quickly because of the state of the road. “The same thing with police,” he said, they will not be able to get there in a hurry. “Any emergency in the area will be hampered by the holes in the road. And is we gon suffer.” Another resident, Deodatt Persaud, said the road did not need “patching”, and “emergency work. We want a proper rehabilitation of the East Bank road. Enough is enough, we ain’t able with them dust and mud and other things.” He pointed out that it is the only access road. The community, he said, had tried all other ways of getting the road fixed, including meeting regional officials and accepting the promises that were made to them. “But every time is the same thing. Dem just put some sand so, put some stone there and next thing you know dem holes getting big, big.”

According to Roxanne Warde, whenever it rains parents have to hold their children tightly to prevent them from sliding down in the mud. “Then sometimes cars pass and dem splash mud water on you. You can never get a clean and proper shoes; always with mud. We can’t take it anymore,” she said.


Some of the protesters with the river in the background

In the midst of the protest some sand and a little stone were sent to patch the road. This sand with stone, the residents said, will “just stay deh for a few morning and then back to square one.” They said the only time that anything reasonable was done was when Arrival Day celebrations were held at Highbury, “because to get there you need to use that road”. Rebecca Ellis, an elderly woman of Sisters’ Village, was walking to New Amsterdam yesterday morning, to seek medical attention. She said she understood the protestors’ plight and agrees that there is need for their action because the road is atrocious.

Meanwhile, residents seemed to accept the assurances offered by the regional chairman yesterday. All morning they had been saying that they will not accept “patching” of the road. However, after the visit by Mustapha, they removed to allow the holes in the road to be filled pending further rehabilitation of the road in a month’s time. “But after that is different story,” the residents said.


Rebecca Ellis walking to New Amsterdam


Backed up vehicles waiting to pass

An engineer who wishes to remain unnamed, told this newspaper he doubted that any major work will be done on the East Bank road “because the water is right over there,” pointing to the Berbice river. He explained that when the water is high in the river, it seeps under the road and gets into the residential area. He said that what this means is that the foundation of the road is too weak to take major repairs. “If you dig six inches down you will find water there. So… you can’t do any major rehabilitation. The river is too close. And they don’t have any sea [river] defence.”

Source

quote:

An engineer who wishes to remain unnamed, told this newspaper he doubted that any major work will be done on the East Bank road “because the water is right over there,” pointing to the Berbice river. He explained that when the water is high in the river, it seeps under the road and gets into the residential area. He said that what this means is that the foundation of the road is too weak to take major repairs. “If you dig six inches down you will find water there. So… you can’t do any major rehabilitation. The river is too close. And they don’t have any sea [river] defence.”

And the Berbice Bridge will only make this situation worse. The floating bridge slows the flow of the river resulting in faster siltation.

Tuschen residents bemoan a deplorable road network
DECEMBER 18, 2010 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
By Amar Panday.


Taxi drivers experience considerable difficulty navigating in and around potholes.

For the residents of the expansive Tuschen housing scheme, life has indeed been made uncomfortable by a network of deplorable and unpardonable roads.
Kaieteur News yesterday visited Tuschen, at the residents’ request, to do its own investigation and was confounded by the level of decrepitude characterizing the road network. Residents, who spoke to Kaieteur News on conditions of anonymity, said that before investing in Phase 2 of the Tuschen housing project which is currently under way, an endeavour should have been made to equip Phase 1 with the acceptance level of infrastructural development. Residents said that they would be willing to give of their manpower if the requisite authority demonstrated a willingness to have this road network bettered.

A businessman, whose premises Kaieteur News visited, complained that because of the discomfiture associated with driving in this scheme, the level of traffic frequenting the roadways is always low. This, he said, is discouraging for business. He pointed to a woeful stretch of road immediately in front of his Store and explained that because of this situation, traffic is invariably diverted from an access road to his business. He explained that this road, which is the scheme’s second main road, was recently repaired in September by Eagle Transportation and General Construction. From September to December, this road swiftly disintegrated to a state where the repairs are hardly recognizable.

Mike Rambharose, the Manager of Eagle Transportation and General Construction, attributed this early disintegration to the fact that the construction company was only contracted to do cosmetic repairs and not any serious refurbishment. He said that heavy vehicular traffic is a contributory factor in the road’s quick breakup. However, Forbes Lanferman, a taxi driver who has only begun traversing the Tuschen road network in recent weeks, explained to Kaietuer News that he has already had to change his steering end and a tyre. He said that it is mentally challenging and tiring to drive in this network as you are constantly navigating out and around some more or less yawning pothole.

Lanferman, who is a cane harvester, who operates a taxi during Guysuco’s out of season, said this additional venture, to supplement a meager income has certainly proved taxing. He said it was his belief that contractors who deliver such shoddy work as done in Tuschen’s second main road, do not meet the specifications enshrined in the contract, yet, in a procedure of rampant corruption, such works are not held accountable. This layman was able to suggest that until this accountability is featured in the delivery of infrastructural development, such substandard work would be the order of the day.
Other taxi drivers who spoke with Kaieteur News said that along with the compulsory expenses associated with their service— license, fitness and insurance— the monthly maintenance bill they have to foot by working in this area is oppressive. Shawn Munish explained that the average monthly maintenance bill is $30,000.

William Wong, another taxi driver, was able to explain the salience of regular maintenance work to the viability of a road network. He recollected that there used to be maintenance crews attached to the Ministry whose duty it was to do regular repairs. He explained the sagacity of such a practice, as against allowing a road to completely disintegrate and then endeavoring to rehabilitate. Wong, a driver with not much formal schooling, conversed with Kaieteur News about the cost effectiveness of such practice. He submitted that the work of maintenance crews is indispensable to the preservation of roads. He said that the disappearance of such valuable conventions has not augured well for the maintenance of standards in public affairs.

A laudable housing project by the administration must be accompanied by a simultaneous effort to have the accompanying infrastructural development enhance and enable the ensuing habitation of that specified location. To have the accompanying infrastructure lag the proliferation of housing projects is to diminish the quality of life possible in such areas. Moreover, since the financing of such infrastructural development is sourced from the public coffers, it is indispensable that stringent standards of accountability and transparency be established and maintained to ensure that an already burdensome tax burden on the Guyanese populace is not exacerbated by costly leakages.

Source

Good Hope residents peeved at roads, drainage in village
JANUARY 8, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS

Residents of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, are peeved at what they describe as neglect by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council and the other relevant authorities responsible for maintaining the roads, drainage and surrounding areas of the village. According to residents, the entrance into Good Hope is filled with many ‘craters’. Taxis working in the area are “charging $400 just to drop anybody inside. They say they road breaking up they cars that’s why de fare so high.”

It was also underscored that there is a serious problem with the drainage and irrigation in the area which causes flooding whenever there is any amount of rainfall, “people don’t have any back drains in day yard so there is no proper drainage.”

Other issues raised were the huge clumps of bush in the area and the garbage that is being dumped in the nearby canal. “The bush, when you coming in, so big that bandits can be hiding inside to pounce on you when you coming in at night. When something happen then you gun see something being done.” “The chairman of the NDC does nothing much in the area because he passes the garbage every morning, and does nothing to stop persons from dumping in the canal. They just throw some loam on the road and water wash it away as soon as rain fall.” One resident said.
When this newspaper tried contacting the Better Hope NDC it failed.

Source

If the contractor needs to pay the 20% kick-back tax then he will cut back on the quality of materials and work. He gat to stretch de money.

The AFC will hold contractors accountable and deal condignly with public officials who are complicit with the contractors.

Once most of the waste and corruption are removed from our infrastructural works, it will free up money that can be spent elsewhere. Further, proper infrastructure will lead to a greater generation of wealth by our people. This in turn will lead to more income from taxes for the new AFC Gov't too. As such there will be more growth than what we see today.

There is a solution to all this road business. Let each municipality be accountable for the road repairs and upkeep just like the US. It will be paid for by house taxes. The financing of road repairs in the US towns are done by taxes levied on the residents. In Guyana it seems people believe that it should be an entitlement, but they need to sacrifice to pay for good roads. hahahhahaha

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
There is a solution to all this road business. Let each municipality be accountable for the road repairs and upkeep just like the US. It will be paid for by house taxes. The financing of road repairs in the US towns are done by taxes levied on the residents. In Guyana it seems people believe that it should be an entitlement, but they need to sacrifice to pay for good roads. hahahhahaha

Skippah, the issue is much more than just paying for the roads. The money is there. In the first year of VAT in 2007, the projection was overshot by G$20,000,000,000.

The issue is primarily one of substandard work which has become the norm in the last decade in Guyana. Having to redo roads unnecessarily deprives others of roads, stymies development.

Samjay?

quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard Ramsaroop:

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
There is a solution to all this road business. Let each municipality be accountable for the road repairs and upkeep just like the US. It will be paid for by house taxes. The financing of road repairs in the US towns are done by taxes levied on the residents. In Guyana it seems people believe that it should be an entitlement, but they need to sacrifice to pay for good roads. hahahhahaha

Skippah, the issue is much more than just paying for the roads. The money is there. In the first year of VAT in 2007, the projection was overshot by G$20,000,000,000.

The issue is primarily one of substandard work which has become the norm in the last decade in Guyana. Having to redo roads unnecessarily deprives others of roads, stymies development.

Samjay?

Nonsense, show where this money is there! You don't even know the cost of building one mile of proper road much less making the idiotic statement that "the money is there". 1.3billion US it cost to build a 3 mile highway extension. hahahahhahaha

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:

quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard Ramsaroop:

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
There is a solution to all this road business. Let each municipality be accountable for the road repairs and upkeep just like the US. It will be paid for by house taxes. The financing of road repairs in the US towns are done by taxes levied on the residents. In Guyana it seems people believe that it should be an entitlement, but they need to sacrifice to pay for good roads. hahahhahaha

Skippah, the issue is much more than just paying for the roads. The money is there. In the first year of VAT in 2007, the projection was overshot by G$20,000,000,000.

The issue is primarily one of substandard work which has become the norm in the last decade in Guyana. Having to redo roads unnecessarily deprives others of roads, stymies development.

Samjay?

Nonsense, show where this money is there! You don't even know the cost of building one mile of proper road much less making the idiotic statement that "the money is there". 1.3billion US it cost to build a 3 mile highway extension. hahahahhahaha

How about you address what I am saying in reference to unnecessarily repairing roads over and over in Guyana?

Gerhard bhai, there is no discussion with an idiot - only arguments. And there is no wisdom to be gleaned there really; for who argues with a fool?

quote:

Originally posted by squingy:
Gerhard bhai, there is no discussion with an idiot - only arguments. And there is no wisdom to be gleaned there really; for who argues with a fool?

Indeed. Like I said, he's just cannon fodder. I don't mind bouncing shots off of him - helps prepare me for the campaign trail. Remember I will meet people like him in the crowd, and I have to learn how to swing it in my favour in front of impressionable voters.

Indeed bro! But remember also, you're pedigreed politically. It will just flow! Don't worry nor be anxious, although I like your efforts to be prepared.

quote:

Originally posted by squingy:
Indeed bro! But remember also, you're pedigreed politically. It will just flow! Don't worry nor be anxious, although I like your efforts to be prepared.

Thanks again!

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
There is a solution to all this road business. Let each municipality be accountable for the road repairs and upkeep just like the US. It will be paid for by house taxes. The financing of road repairs in the US towns are done by taxes levied on the residents. In Guyana it seems people believe that it should be an entitlement, but they need to sacrifice to pay for good roads. hahahhahaha

BG_S, you talk for the sake of talking. The US is organized very differently, leaglly, tax and other. Even then, the Federal Govt built and funds the up keep of many central highways. Guyana is a small nation with a central Govt which exercises domain over many aspects of the society. Just like with education, the central Govt is directly responsible for policy, funding, etc. Don't pass off the responsible of the GoG by citing the US system. These roads are their responsibility.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard Ramsaroop:
How about you address what I am saying in reference to unnecessarily repairing roads over and over in Guyana?

I keep exposing your shallow understanding of nation building every day. If govt paid the true cost of building a road according to International standards, 1 mile of road would be in the millions of US. Tell us the budget allocation for roads and then you will understand why the roads are falling apart after every rainfall. To build proper roads resistant to weather would require elevated roads which is terribly expensive. The individual villages and towns should be responsible for their own roads and then they will ensure that it is built properly instead of depending on limited funds from govt that has to stretch a long way.

Not every trench covered with a bit of asphalt should be called a road.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:
Not every trench covered with a bit of asphalt should be called a road.

Now you ketch sense, for a road to be built properly, it would be an enormous cost. The question is whether Guyanese are willing to pay the price for what they take for granted overseas. Many of you creeps make foolish statements and love to criticize but you don't consider the cost of true development. These roads in Guyana are not built to last due to the limited funds. You can't blame the contractors, they are giving the people what they pay for.

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:
Not every trench covered with a bit of asphalt should be called a road.

Now you ketch sense, for a road to be built properly, it would be an enormous cost. The question is whether Guyanese are willing to pay the price for what they take for granted overseas. Many of you creeps make foolish statements and love to criticize but you don't consider the cost of true development. These roads in Guyana are not built to last due to the limited funds. You can't blame the contractors, they are giving the people what they pay for.

You know, you make such assical comments. So what do you propose, no roads, only mud dams. BG_S, roads/infrastructure are installed to spur ecomonic growth which will eventually pay for it. This is where a comprehensive economic policy comes into the picture. The Govt takes care of infrastructure and devlops economic policies which allow entreprises to grow and create wealth.

BG_S, you have a myopic view of things and cannot see outside ou your narrow prism.

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:
Not every trench covered with a bit of asphalt should be called a road.

Now you ketch sense, for a road to be built properly, it would be an enormous cost. The question is whether Guyanese are willing to pay the price for what they take for granted overseas. Many of you creeps make foolish statements and love to criticize but you don't consider the cost of true development. These roads in Guyana are not built to last due to the limited funds. You can't blame the contractors, they are giving the people what they pay for.

You are funny chap.

Road costs vary dependent on use. Very few areas in Guyana require US highway type roads. Granted in the PNC time there was much less traffic, the roads built in that era have stood up better than the PPP roads. This is evidenced by the fact that the Linden, West Coast, Rupert Craig and Corentyne highways lasted for decades with hardly any maintenance. With few exceptions, many of those roads today that have been repaired/redone by the PPP break up fairly constantly. Furthermore, the PPP roads are often made with darker material, despite improvements in technology, that reduce visibility at night.

Everyone, except you and the PPP sycophants, know that there is extreme corruption involved in road construction in Guyana. And even if we were to give credence to your argument that there is never money to do roads properly to begin with, there is a solution to that too. If you've ever travelled in the bush you'd know what laterite is. Most people would have no issue making do with laterite roads until the Gov't can afford to do proper roads that will last as those in the PNC days did.

In addition to most roads being built in a shoddy manner to begin with, the other factors in their breakup are speeding and overloading. Overloading is clear, but many don't realise that braking heavily from high speeds, especially at turns, breaks up roads. And both of these issues are completely within the purview of the PPP Gov't. Now let's hear you compare to the US again, where weight and speed limits are actively enforced.

There is another side to enforcing weight and speed restrictions. It would allow owners of smaller and lower horsepower trucks to become competitive again, without any screams of communism. The two houses in our yard here in Alexander Village were build by wife's nana who owned two dray carts in the 70s. In the 70s and 80s in Guyana, Bedford TJ and TK trucks were ubiquitous and many families were sustained by a single truck. Some of you here on GNI may remember the old Austin trucks of Buddy Khan on the East Bank Road. Those trucks were driven for generations - grandfather, son and grandson - fetching wood for the sugar estates. They were seen up to the 90s, but today no more, just like how you hardly see TJ and TK trucks.

You may argue two things BGurd_See, both of which I will refute. One you will argue that that is the price of progress, bigger, better trucks - all hail the PPP. But friend, since you argue that roads are not built to last, that by itself makes these trucks completely unsuited to Guyana. Secondly, you would argue that parts for old trucks are no longer available. And again, you would be wrong. Spares for the German truck (IFA W50) which was discontinued in 1991, and for which the company no longer exists, are still readily available some 20 years later. The market for spares for old British trucks is even better. Moreso, because today, the Chinese produce aftermarket spares for practically every truck on the planet.

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:
You know, you make such assical comments. So what do you propose, no roads, only mud dams. BG_S, roads/infrastructure are installed to spur ecomonic growth which will eventually pay for it. This is where a comprehensive economic policy comes into the picture. The Govt takes care of infrastructure and devlops economic policies which allow entreprises to grow and create wealth.

BG_S, you have a myopic view of things and cannot see outside ou your narrow prism.

A practical view, roads in Guyana are not built to last since the cost is too high. If you notice how the US build their roads you will notice the many layers of rocks before bitumen is laid. In Guyana they put a few inches of bitumen over laterite because it is cheaper as this is what the country can afford.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard Ramsaroop: You are funny chap.

Road costs vary dependent on use. Very few areas in Guyana require US highway type roads. Granted in the PNC time there was much less traffic, the roads built in that era have stood up better than the PPP roads. This is evidenced by the fact that the Linden, West Coast, Rupert Craig and Corentyne highways lasted for decades with hardly any maintenance. With few exceptions, many of those roads today that have been repaired/redone by the PPP break up fairly constantly. Furthermore, the PPP roads are often made with darker material, despite improvements in technology, that reduce visibility at night.

Everyone, except you and the PPP sycophants, know that there is extreme corruption involved in road construction in Guyana. And even if we were to give credence to your argument that there is never money to do roads properly to begin with, there is a solution to that too. If you've ever travelled in the bush you'd know what laterite is. Most people would have no issue making do with laterite roads until the Gov't can afford to do proper roads that will last as those in the PNC days did.

In addition to most roads being built in a shoddy manner to begin with, the other factors in their breakup are speeding and overloading. Overloading is clear, but many don't realise that braking heavily from high speeds, especially at turns, breaks up roads. And both of these issues are completely within the purview of the PPP Gov't. Now let's hear you compare to the US again, where weight and speed limits are actively enforced.

There is another side to enforcing weight and speed restrictions. It would allow owners of smaller and lower horsepower trucks to become competitive again, without any screams of communism. The two houses in our yard here in Alexander Village were build by wife's nana who owned two dray carts in the 70s. In the 70s and 80s in Guyana, Bedford TJ and TK trucks were ubiquitous and many families were sustained by a single truck. Some of you here on GNI may remember the old Austin trucks of Buddy Khan on the East Bank Road. Those trucks were driven for generations - grandfather, son and grandson - fetching wood for the sugar estates. They were seen up to the 90s, but today no more, just like how you hardly see TJ and TK trucks.

You may argue two things BGurd_See, both of which I will refute. One you will argue that that is the price of progress, bigger, better trucks - all hail the PPP. But friend, since you argue that roads are not built to last, that by itself makes these trucks completely unsuited to Guyana. Secondly, you would argue that parts for old trucks are no longer available. And again, you would be wrong. Spares for the German truck (IFA W50) which was discontinued in 1991, and for which the company no longer exists, are still readily available some 20 years later. The market for spares for old British trucks is even better. Moreso, because today, the Chinese produce aftermarket spares for practically every truck on the planet.

Many of the contractors claim that govt only pay them to put two inches of bitumen on the road due to budget constraints. To develop proper roads, big bucks have to be spent to lay proper foundation and put the correct amount of bitumen. Of course with the high price of oil, of which bitumen is a byproduct, the cost is even higher. I think the govt is doing the best it can with the money it takes in. The weight restrictions is a good point as many US highways have restrictions on heavy trucks. However with development comes a price. Apparently the roads can not keep up with the pace of construction. Govt needs to allocate more to roads if they are to last however it will take away from other more pressing projects. In NY they purposely let the roads go bad to save money and even with the lawsuits due to vehicle damage from large potholes, the city still comes out ahead considering if they had to actually make the many repairs.

BGurd_See, indeed there is more construction in Guyana than there ever was. You agree with me that two solutions to help mitigate damage to our roads is to restrict speeding and overloading.

Another solution you will find in my paper above, is articulation. Articulated trucks can carry up to 50% more load for the same amount of fuel as a rigid-chassis truck, and up to 50% less damage to our roads.

I am puzzled though, at your insistence there is no money for proper roads. Don't you always boast how well the PPP is doing, how much money there is?

Every year the projections for VAT are exceeded, by billions. Couldn't some of that be added to making the roads better for the next year? What about corruption? What are you saying, that it is not a factor?

South Amelia’s Ward residents protest deplorable roads
By CATHY RICHARDS |
LOCAL NEWS | FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2011

Residents of Phase One, South Amelia’s Ward are protesting over the deplorable state of their roads by setting up blockades to halt the flow of traffic through the area. According to the residents they hope to send a strong message to the local authority to get them to address the problem. Wednesday night residents of the 36-year-old community blockedthree entrance points using large trees, old tires and rubble to protest against the inaction of the local authority.


Signs calling for repairs on the roadblock

“We had enough, we have even become the mocking stock of taxi drivers,” said Paula Duncan, a resident of the community for almost thirty years. Echoing the views of other residents the woman complained about the level of neglect of South Amelia’s Ward. Repeated representation had been made by residents to have some level of repairs done to the road but they have been ignored. They said that since the road was constructed more than thirty-five years ago no rehabilitation or maintenance was done to it. They said further that over the years residents have taken the initiative of maintaining the road by filling in potholes with cement blocks. Residents said that on many occasions they came together and had the roads in the area resurfaced.


Tyres used to fill potholes

Residents are claiming that the regional authorities had promised to have some works done during December last year but this never materialized. “We fed up now and we mean they must do something now or we ain’t opening up back this road,” said residents. They compared the recently-developed Lover’s Lane section of Amelia’s Ward to theirs and expressed the feeling that they are being neglected. “We are like the forgotten city but we can’t take that no more. If we ain’t pay our light or water bills they cut us off, if we don’t pay our taxes they would embarrass us and put us on TV, we meeting our obligations so they must fulfill their obligations to us too.” Many residents said that reality set in when they decided to step into the several potholes and found that many are about knee high.


The road with potholes

In the meantime, taxi drivers and visitors to the area have given the roads names such as “Grand Canyon and Mabura Road Big Sister”. Businesses in the area have been affected also since customers have been refusing to go to the area. Residents said yesterday they were advised once again to approach the local authorities. They said that they were told that the roads in the area are slated for repairs soon but they said that they would not be moving the blockades unless they see signs of physical progress. And they are threatening to block other entrances to the community to send a stronger signal that they really mean business.

With the current rainy weather on, the roads in South Amelia’s Ward have gotten worse, and with school being out residents said that they have to be even more watchful over little children who could drown when playing in the water in some of the holes which are very deep.

Source

While the above article does not represent a repaired road under the PPP that quickly broke up, it shows the roads that cannot be done because resources have to keep being diverted to redo and repair shoddy roads.

Also, the above shows why Linden will vote overwhelmingly for the PPP Right albert? Yes? No?

BGurd_See, you said the PPP Gov't never has the money to do roads properly in the first place, hence they have to be repaired constantly. Yes? Have I understood correctly?

So if I have understood you corerectly, why is the Gov't willing to commit G$2.8B (US$14M) to a Marriott Hotel in Guyana? Wouldn't it make more sense to prevent continuous bleeding of the treasury by road repairs by using that money to make proper roads?

http://guyanafriends.com/eve/f...604972/m/51520342051

Roads require repairs… Residents call on authorities
JULY 16, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS


A minibus trying to make it through a deep pothole

The deep potholes on the roads in the community of Mocha/Arcadia are becoming a nuisance. One senior citizen reportedly twisted her ankle in one. It left the woman incapacitated for more than a month. Vehicle owners are “feeling the squeeze” because maintenance of their vehicles is becoming increasingly costly as a result of the numerous potholes.

Residents continue to complain about the state of the roads in the community. They are calling on authorities to do something about the devastating conditions of the road ways. Chairman of the community, Mr. Gregory John, said that residents of the community owe more than $6M in rates and taxes and as such, there are not enough funds for maintenance.

However, a maintenance programme is expected to be undertaken in the future to repair the southern half of First Street, Arcadia.

Source

St Cuthbert’s residents not entirely satisfied with road repairs
By STABROEK STAFF | LOCAL NEWS | SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2011

The Public Works Ministry has spent $25 million to reconstruct the access road to the St Cuthbert’s Mission and while there has been some improvement, residents of the community are not satisfied with the state of the road. The $25M utilized to build the road had been committed to the village by President Bharrat Jagdeo during a trip to the Amerindian community last May. The money was to be used to build the approximately 14 mile road from the village to the Linden Highway to make it easier to transport goods to the coast.


A section of the repaired road covered with sand

Stabroek News recently journeyed to the village and during an interview with this newspaper Village Toshao Ernest Dundas acknowledged the assistance given by the government towards the construction of the road but expressed disappointment at the quality of the work done. “Although it is not in the state that we all expected it to be… at least it has helped since it has been developed to this level,” he said. He said that there was a three-mile stretch of road that is still to be finished but he did not know when this would be completed. There is a huge difference in the quality of the repaired road and the three-mile stretch. The section which has not been completed is rough and has several large potholes, this newspaper observed.

When Stabroek News approached Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn recently, he said that the ministry had worked on the road and had improved it significantly. Previously, he noted, only 4×4 vehicles, trucks and other large vehicles could enter the village, but cars and other smaller vehicles could now pass. He said that the money ran out so the full length of road could not be completed, but said that a team will be returning to the community shortly to complete the remaining stretch. Although Benn could not say definitively when the work team would return, he said that the team working on this project was currently engaged in improving the Linden-Ituni road.


A section of the access road to the St.Cuthbert’s Mission that is still to be repaired

Dundas expressed disappointment that the views of the village council were not taken into consideration when the road was being constructed, although the President had said that it was to have a say. “When the President came here and committed $25M towards development of access road from the Linden highway to the village, one of the things he said, was that let the village council along with Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Works and Hydraulics … coordinate to let the road come to a reality,” Dundas said. After the meeting, he said, the Village Council met with the two ministries and proposed that the villagers build the road themselves. The money, the council proposed, could be used to buy a machine, and the remaining funds could be used to pay an operator and some labourers to work and make the road the way it should be done.

“How we envisioned the road to be done was that it would be built up maybe to about four feet high…and we said maybe we could do that with [sand]” if loam could not be afforded, Dundas said. The intention, he said, was for the Village Council to remain in possession of the equipment to maintain the road, dig trenches and make little roadways in the village. This proposal was rejected by both ministries, and the Ministry of Works and Hydraulics said they would do the road, he explained. Dundas said shortly after that an engineer and a surveyor came to the village and met with the Village Council. The council had insisted that the road be built to four feet high so that when it rained the water would run off. The Toshao said that when this was completed it would have been easier to place loam or even pitch the road. The engineer, according to Dundas, said they would loam part and build it up, but only to about two feet.

“Now when the work started on the road it was something different… it is not really two feet high. The way how they did the road is that they just moved the top surface of the road where the little pegasse was and then the white sand is there and then they just dig two drains sideways and that’s it,” Dundas said. The village council had asked that they straighten out some points in the road to make it shorter, he continued, but that this did not happen. “In general they did not build it to specify how it should be done,” he said. “So they came in the month of October, they started work on the road and they pulled out from here, I think it is the month of May… to go to other areas to work,” he said; “If they had really worked, and if their machines were in order, that road would have [been] completed before December…They didn’t have to cut down trees or nothing. It was pretty straightforward. It’s just a savannah.”


A section of the repaired road covered with loam

He said that for the first 3 or 4 miles the work was completed very quickly, then after that things began to fall apart, and they had bad weather.
Questioned about the time it took to complete the road, Benn said that heavy rainfall had impacted on the project. He said that it would not have been possible to construct the road during heavy rainfall. Asked about the proposal put forward by the village council to build the road, Benn said that had this proposal been agreed to, it was unlikely that this road would have been built since the money would not have been enough to purchase enough machines and material for construction. “We may not have had any road at all,” Benn noted.

Attempts by this newspaper to contact the contractor Lawrence Fiedtkou for an additional comment on the road were unsuccessful. Other residents, while expressing gratitude for the road’s improvement, said that they still were not satisfied. One resident, Samuel Bernard, in lamenting the state of the road, said that it needed to be improved given the growing population of the village. Recently APNU presidential candidate David Granger visited the community and had publicized complaints by residents about the state of the road. He had said that $25M had been spent to reconstruct the road, and it was “now a disaster area of sand, mud, grass and water” which only heavy duty and 4-wheel drive vehicles could traverse.

Source

Cummings Lodge’s long and bumpy road - residents appeal for repair
By STABROEK STAFF | LOCAL NEWS | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009

Cummings Lodge residents living near to the University of Guyana (UG) access road have issued a desperate plea for smoother rides.


The deplorable access road.

Stabroek News visited the area on Monday and severe damage to the road was evident. It has numerous potholes, huge and small, making for a very bumpy drive. According to residents, the road was hastily constructed just in time for the last elections and its present state comes as no surprise.

A cart owner noted that the heavy duty trucks that traverse the area have played a part in contributing to the deplorable state of the road. “De big …construction trucks that does drive on this road is wah really cause it fuh deh how it deh right now. Deh gat some works deh doing at de back a Sophia, an deh does use dis road fuh get in. I don’t think it gah suh much fuh do with de rains, cause it went like dis even before de rainy season step in,” he said. The man further stated that many drivers find themselves fastened in the huge potholes or get their car tanks pierced when ever they get in and out of the potholes. The cart owner recounted his own experience of having his goods falling off of his horse cart when he is transporting them. “By how de potholes gat the road suh up and down it does cause me goods fuh fall off de cart when I bringing it in,” he said.


The sunken Crown Dam Road Bridge linking Cummings Lodge with Industry.

Residents also said that as a result of the poor standard of the road, taxi drivers are refusing to take them to their homes. They are forced to either come off at the UG entrance and walk to their homes or pay additional costs. Vehicle owners have also complained about the state of the road. “The repairs is wah killing we,” one vehicle owner pointed out.

Some residents are also convinced that the road has been damaged due to the heavy flow of traffic it has been facilitating since the installation of traffic lights along the embankment and East Coast public roads. “Since deh get traffic lights, most a de mini bus drivers does try fuh run away from de long wait at de lights, suh wah deh does do is use hay as a short cut fuh reach down to Town mo fast.”


This vehicle in one of the huge potholes on the Cummings Lodge road.

Meanwhile, residents are also complaining bitterly about the state of the bridge that links a section of Cummings Lodge to Industry. According to one resident, the bridge was not built with any engineering expertise and as such cannot withstand excess pressure. After the bridge was used by the contractors’ heavy vehicles however, the bridge became severely damaged to the point where it is now in a sunken position and is under water. The residents are also calling on the drivers of heavy duty vehicles to desist from using this bridge. (Femi Harris)

Source

Key road and bridge in Cummings Lodge are in dire condition
By STABROEK STAFF | LETTERS | THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010

Dear Editor,

I wish to address a major problem that is unbecoming in Guyana. It is what I consider inferior work done by contractors on our roads. I am certain that persons would agree with me when I say it is downright disrespectful to the taxpayers of this country by spending their money on poor infrastructure which they are forced to utilize. In my travels throughout Guyana I have seen much of what I am about to discuss.

Mr. Editor, I am under the impression that major roads/streets are supposed to be built so as to endure heavy traffic and require minimal repair. At this point I wish to highlight the condition of a specific road in the Cummings Lodge Housing Scheme where I reside. The road is a major one used to access the Housing Scheme from the Southeastern Section. This particular road has the adjoining ten streets that comprise the entire Housing Scheme with a population of about two thousand plus. Hence, the traffic is immense. This road was built in 2006-2007 and already it has seen major works done numerous times over a four-year period. The last repair was done in mid 2009 which saw workers trying to fill the many potholes. I noticed recently the emergence of more potholes. Apart from the potholes expanding, there is an additional problem, parts of the road are sinking. It is becoming very difficult to ride/drive on this road and as a developing community many residents are acquiring vehicles. It would be interesting to see what state the road will be in by next year if the situation is not addressed.

Mr. Editor, there is also a wooden bridge that connects that very road to Industry road/Crown Dam. The bridge is as bad as the road and during the rainy season it is normally covered with water and is almost impossible to cross by foot/vehicle. I wish to inform the Ministry of Public Works as the responsible agency that the road and bridge are in a bad state and will only worsen; hence professional work needs to be done. I am sure the other residents of Cummings Lodge Housing Scheme share my dissent and are tired of the constant maintenance works which do not benefit the users for long.

I think the Ministry of Public Works needs to be more vigilant when granting these contracts and/or monitor the work that is being done if that is possible. I hate to be pessimistic but the work done by the contractor on this road leaves much to be desired.

Yours faithfully,
Ricardo Fernandes

Source