US$1.6M contract approved for East Bank four lane highway

Cabinet has granted its no-objection to a US$1.6M contract for the improvement of the access road to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his weekly post-cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, said that the intention is to create a four-lane access road to the country’s lone airport. “So this is what these funds are for,” he said.

A further $92.5M was approved for the upgrading of roads at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara ($17.2M), Section ‘A’, Block Y, Grove, East Bank Demerara ($42.7M) and Ordnance, Canje ($32.6M).

Luncheon said other contracts to which Cabinet gave its no-objection was one valued at $160.5M for the procurement of uniforms for the police as well as another for $23.9M for the purchase of uniforms for the Fire Service. In addition, Cabinet also gave its no-objection to another contract valued at $16.9M for the construction of an annex to the St Anthony’s Primary School in Region Seven.

Meanwhile, with regards to the extension of the four-lane highway to Golden Grove on the East Coast Demerara, Luncheon said that Cabinet decided to initiate works in designing the upgrading of that road to a four-lane highway. This will cover Plaisance/Better Hope to Golden Grove.

“Funds have already been identified for the initial mapping, excavation and drainage works needing to be undertaken during the construction of the four-lane highway,” he said. Responding to questions, he said that this will cost about half a billion dollars in the initial phase. The works will be contracted out. Luncheon said that the money will come from public funds.