$11B Highway Commissioned Linking Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam
August 25, 2025 – Thousands of commuters along the East Bank corridor are set to experience faster travel and reduced congestion as President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday officially commissioned the $11 billion Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam four-lane highway.
Designed and constructed by local contractors, the new road provides a direct link to Great Diamond and improved access to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). Most importantly, it eliminates hours of traffic congestion that once plagued the route.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, President Ali said the highway represents not just infrastructure, but a commitment to progress.
“We are not stopping here at Buzz Bee Dam. This road will not end at Great Diamond. We are extending it to Soesdyke. Why? Because progress is our mantra,” the President declared.
He acknowledged that construction caused some inconvenience to residents but stressed that such challenges are part of development. The new road, he said, will benefit households, industries, and commercial zones, while boosting agriculture, trade, and tourism.
“How can we talk about efficiency without talking about transport? Every extra minute trucks spend stuck in traffic is lost productivity. Every gallon of fuel wasted is money out of citizens’ pockets. That is why this road matters,” President Ali stated.
The Head of State reminded citizens that projects once doubted are now delivering tangible benefits, including smoother rides and shorter travel times. He also pointed to the upcoming Demerara River Crossing as another transformative project set to ease bottlenecks along the East Bank corridor.
Minister of Housing and Water Colin Croal described the new highway as part of a deliberate national development strategy.
“Roads open access to housing development, attract new investments and connect communities that were once isolated,” the Minister emphasized, noting that government has built more than 56.5 kilometres of new highways in the past four years.
Minister within the Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, announced that the project will continue with a fourth phase next year, extending the roadway from Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan.
The project was executed in lots by GuyAmerica Construction, VALS Construction, China Railway First Group, NABI, and H. Nauth and Sons. The Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam section represents the third phase of the East Bank four-lane highway, following the completion of the Mandela to Eccles and Eccles to Diamond stretches.
(DPI)
