$Blns earmarked for Linden improvement
by Shirley Thomas
LARGE sums are to be spent on further developing the Linden bauxite mining town, President Bharrat Jagdeo has announced.
In the pipeline are:
This is outside the G$1.3Bln jointly spent by the government and the Caribbean Development Bank on the recently completed Soesdyke/Linden road rehabilitation project.
President Jagdeo made the announcement Friday at the commissioning of the Soesdyke/Linden road rehabilitation network.
The ceremony took place at the Burnham Drive/Wisroc/Winifred Junction.
The President expressed distinct pleasure at being able to commission the project.
The completion of the Linden road scheme fulfilled a promise he made to the people of the mining town soon after he assumed office in August last year.
"At that time I made a commitment that we were going to fix the Burnham Drive, and I am glad that that commitment was made and kept", he said.
"I am very happy to be here with you today, to share this bit of information, and it's not just about the road programme. It's about a whole new approach, and ensuring that this part of the country is not left behind", he declared.
Outlining the plans for the development of the mining town, President Jagdeo said, to loud cheers from the keenly enthusiastoc gathering: "I want to say to you that this is not the end of the project, because we have approximately $126M to spend on additional roads in Linden."
Noting that there is yet need to determine in the short-term on what projects the G$126 Million will be spent, he told residents: "I can say for sure that we have identified Amelia's Ward as a potential beneficiary for additional road works."
On completion of that project he said, "we still have another facility", alluding to an urban development programme being negotiated over the last few years. "In that programme we have about US$2 Million set aside for roads, markets and some other facilities in Linden, programmed to start some time next year."
President Jagdeo said the European Union just three weeks ago approved a grant of 12 Million Euros (about G$2.2 Billion) for the town of Linden, stemming from a survey he had made of Linden six years ago in his capacity as Finance Minister.
The monies would be spent over the next two years on various facilities there, including:
Noting that a suitable climate must be created which would allow investors to feel comfortable if more jobs are to be opened up in the mining town, he said a significant part of the resources would be spent on doing that.
President Jagdeo acknowledged the contribution of the Caribbean Development Bank in acquiring funds to undertake the recently completed road project. He noted that, along with their assistance, his government with some "innovative movements", was able to "re-orient" some of the resources, so that not only was work done to the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, as was originally intended, but in Linden as well.
He stressed that there must be a revolution in education in the country and said the administration has already started a revolution in the sector, currently spending $9.3Bln a year on it.
"And if it takes twenty billion dollars, we are going to put the money, because it is investing in the future of our children," President Jagdeo declared.
Mr Robin Persad, Contracts Manager of the Trinidadian firm, Seereeram Brothers, which undertook the road construction works, said the opening ceremony was the "culmination of a period of intense intricate construction activities".
Some one million man hours, more than half a million equipment hours, several hundred thousand tons of various types of construction materials and the "absolute dedication of a committed technical team and construction workforce" were involved in the project.
This was achieved, he said, despite prolonged periods of extremely adverse weather conditions.
He said the project was complemented with the construction of four car parks to enhance the recreational facilities of the beautiful creeks along the highway.
Prime Minister Sam Hinds who along with Minister of Public Works and Communications, Mr Anthony Xavier attended the commissioning, said: "I think this is the beginning of a recovery for Linden."
He noted that the surface treatment technique employed by the contractors was relatively new in Guyana, allowing some economy which enabled them to resurface, convert all the bridges to concrete decking, and put in the four parking areas.
Guyana is at this time looking for investment partners so that it could find a comfortable way of exploiting the bauxite resources and developing the new economy all across Guyana, he said.
Xavier, congratulating those involved in the project, specifically expressed appreciation for the part played by the CDB and to the people of Linden who cooperated fully as the roads were under construction.
He exhorted those using the roads to care them and called on the police to be ever vigilant to ensure drivers do not abuse these.
Regional Chairman, Mr Ovid Walton said the acquisition of the facility will signal increasing significance of the life and times of the people of Linden.
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