Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 13, 2017 News
Residents between Better Hope and Belfield along the East Coast of Demerara can begin to look forward to reduced travel time and transport costs, and less traffic congestion as Government has secured a concessional loan for
the widening and improvement of the East Coast Demerara Highway.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Minister Winston Jordan on Monday last, signed a Concessional Loan Agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China for RMB Yuan 313,838,800 or approximately US$45,318,337.
“This concessional loan was achieved less than two months after the inking of the Framework Agreement between the Governments of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the People’s Republic of China that took place on November 23, 2016,” the Ministry of Finance said.
The ministry noted that the section of the roadway between Better Hope and Belfield links numerous highly populated villages to the capital city.
“When completed, the road will enhance the mobility and accessibility of commuters to and from Georgetown. It will also positively impact the accident rate and vehicular maintenance.”
China Railway First Group Company Limited Works will commence works in the first quarter of 2017.
Some works to widen the edges of the road have already started but problems with contractors have halted those works.
The project was launched by the previous government with former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, reportedly announcing that his Cabinet had given its no objection to the award of US $42.7 M contract for the road widening and upgrading of the ECD road from Better Hope to Belfield in Region Four.
China Railway actually had put in a bid for US$46.9M. China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd, the contractor in the US$150M expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, submitted a bid for US$60.4M ($12B).
Meanwhile, China National Machinery Import/Export Company Limited, the company that was involved in the construction of the problematic US$200M Skeldon expansion project, submitted a proposal for US$55.6M ($11B).
The highest bid came from China State Construction Engineering Corporation for US$71.4M. The Engineer’s estimate for the project was US$57.6M.
Works that were ongoing on the road by local contractors such as Dipcon Engineering Services and Courtney Benn Contracting Services were for the drains and not the road, which will be done by the Chinese firm.
The E.C.D widening project will be one of the costliest in recent times in terms of infrastructural works, after the ongoing CJIA and Marriott.
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