Guyanese suffered when APNU Gov’t scrapped Mandela-Diamond road link- Rodrigues

Minister within the Ministry of Housing Susan Rodrigues 

At the signing of contracts worth GYD $13.3 Billion on Wednesday for the continuation and second phase of the road-link between of the Mandela Avenue and Diamond, Minister Susan Rodrigues said the project which was scrapped has caused Guyanese to suffer for five years.

She spoke in the context of persons being trapped in long lines of traffic for hours along the East Bank Demerara which has among other things, affected production hours, manpower at various work places and sites and also cost the state lose revenue.

Minister Rodrigues who is one of two ministers at the Ministry of Housing and Water, reminded that at the time the Peoples Progressive Party Civic was removed from office in 2015, all the necessary proprietary works for the Diamond to Mandela  interlink road to ensure the commencement of the project, were already done and was only awaiting implementation.

“This is a project that was conceptualized since 2010 and before we demitted office, the feasiable study was completed, the environmental social management plan was completed, the route survey was completed, the bills of quantity were completed…even the tender documents were also prepared and when we demitted office in 2015, the APNU+AFC administration scraped this project, they attempted to redesign and rescope this project and failed at even preparing any documents to commence a different project” Minister Rodrigues explained.

She described the scrapping of the project as political.

Wednesday’s signing saw twelve lots of works being awarded to twelve contractors, some of whom formed Joint Ventures in order to arrive at the necessary capacity to effectively execute the works.

The contracts which were signed Wednesday, are for the second phase of the ongoing works of the Mandela to Diamond road link

Presently, Phase 1 of the project which is being done right now, covers from Mandela to Eccles. Phase 2 will run from Eccles to Diamond.

Some of the contractors working on Phase 1 have also bid and won to carry out works on Phase 2.