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Govt. to reconstruct 29 bridges in Regions 8&9 –Edghill
Kaieteur News- Paving a way for easier connectivity between Regions Eight and Nine, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill on Wednesday announced that the government this year will undertake the reconstruction of all the bridges between the two hinterland regions.
The minister made the announcement while defending his government’s 2025 budget during the debates in the National Assembly. Relating how his ministry plans to spend its $252 billion allocation, Edghill said “Right now, all of the bridges from Karasabai in Region Nine all the way through to Paramakatoi in Region Eight will be under construction, bringing for the first time, a smooth link between Region Nine and Region Eight. Budget 2025 provides for that.”
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill
Kaieteur News understands that these works are similar to what the ministry did when it reconstructed approximately 45 bridges between Mabura Hill and Lethem to concrete structures. Highlighting the impact of this massive project, the Public Works Minister said the upgraded connectivity will improve livelihoods and cost of living for the people.
“And let me explain to you why I’m saying this, the cost of a sack of cement in Lethem is $2,800, $2,900 there about. By the time it gets to Paramakatoi it is $14,000 you know what that means, because of that transportation link that will become more accessible, the cost of development in those communities will be significantly reduced,” he explained.
The minister continued that people will have better homes, there will be better infrastructure, and the livelihood of people will be improved, while the cost of food will also go down. He added that the cost of living for the people will be reduced just by improving that road link.
Calling out the Opposition for saying they do not support this year’s budget, the minister in his presentation said: “Mister Speaker, all the members of the Opposition who said they can’t support the budget must tell the people of Region Nine and people of Region Eight, we don’t want you to have those 29 bridges, and we don’t want that road to be built.”
Still on his ministry’s allocation, the minister shared it would improve connectivity in the country in areas such as the roads, bridges, sea defences and airstrips. He said government will complete the bridge across the Bonasika Creek which he said will assist with their planned connection of Parika to Goshen in Region Three. “Money is in the 2025 budget to build the Makouria Bridge that will link Region Four with Region Seven, from Sand Hills to Fall Mouth, the Makouria Bridge. As a matter of fact, Mister Speaker, the contract has already been awarded for this bridge,” Edghill related.
Recalling some of the projects undertaken by his ministry, he told the National Assembly that from 2020 to 2024, some 4,322 kilometers of roads were constructed, 150 bridges were rehabilitated with 66 bridges being maintained. “And these are not putting back wood bridges. These are putting in concrete bridges. From 2020, to 2024, 25,783 kilometers of sea and river defense structures were constructed, while 328,751 kilometers were maintained,” he highlighted. Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh announced in his $1.3 trillion budget, that in 2025 a total of $209.3 billion has been allocated to further develop roads and bridges infrastructure. Notably, in 2024, $160.6 billion was expended to improve road connectivity across the country, of which over $78.4 billion was spent under miscellaneous, urban and hinterland roads programme, while $34.7 billion was spent to construct, rehabilitate, and maintain our bridges.
(Govt. to reconstruct 29 bridges in Regions 8&9 –Edghill)
- 29 bridges, between Karasabai and Paramakatoi, Minister Juan Edghill, Ministry of Public Works, reconstructed
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