Residents of Republic Street Bel Air and sections of the Newtown Kitty area can now breathe a sigh of relief following the completion of the road network in the area after more than two years of disruption.

Earlier today Minister of Housing and Water, the Hon. Collin Croal joined Ministers, Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, and Mr. Anand Persaud, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development for the symbolic ribbon cutting, on completion of the project which had been stalled for more than 3 years.

On the occasion Minister Croal expressed his gratitude to residents of the area for their patience and tolerance, noting that the works did bring about significant disruption in their daily lives.

The Housing and Water Minister citing the challenges with the project being completed in a timely manner recalled that the contract for the Vlissengen Road pipe laying project was signed on November 30, 2017, with eight requests for payment by the previous Contractor – Mr. Barnes, totalling $114M. However, only 11 percent of works were completed, equivalent to some $39M. As such, this administration inherited the below-par works and the challenges surrounding the matter are now before the court.

He added that after taking office the Ministry through Guyana Water Inc. commenced works immediately to remedy the situation.

As such in December 2020 new contract was awarded to R. Kissoon Contracting Services for the sum of $67,850,500 to complete the remaining works. In September 2021 another contract for the upgrading of transmission lines between Shelterbelt and Lamaha Street, Kitty, Reg.# 4 to the tune of G$ 28,628,000 and the completion of road network from crush and run to asphaltic surface was awarded to the same company. Additionally, there was an agreement between the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Ministry of Public for 943 meters of road works with 3322 cubic meters of asphaltic surfacing to be done at the project area. Those works were executed by the Ministry of Public Works-Special Project Unit to the tune of $19.5 million.

Works undertaken for the upgrading of the transmission lines include the installation of 710 meters of 22” of HDPE main lines which runs from Shelterbelt along Potaro Road, west into Eping Avenue, north along Abary and Republic street and west along the Lamaha Embanked and onto Vlissengen Road. Also, under the project Minister Croal pointed out that 284 service connections were transferred from the old network to the new one.

The Minister also thanked the Ministry of Public Works, Special Projects Unit for effecting the road works in a timely manner. According to Minister Juan Edghill, his Ministry got involved in the project on October 6 and by October 13, their works were completed along Republic Street, Bel Air. He added that resurfacing of a number of additional adjoining roads including Lamaha, Garnett, Dandrade, Da Silva, and Barima Avenue were also rehabilitated by Ministry.

“While we were fixing the street we also did other adjoining streets we did whatever we could have done to enhance and improve the lives of persons in this community”.

Photos: Sydel Thomas CHPA PR Dept.