Guyana Water Inc. signed a $37M contract recently for the upgrade of the transmission main in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, and in about three months more than 3,000 residents will have an improved water supply.
The company’s Director of Capital Investment and Planning, Ramchand Jailall, said that the project which is being done by Berbice contracting firm Home Designs will see six kilometers of transmission main upgraded to rectify the difficulties that residents face with the water pressure in the community, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) news release.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali said that government was aware of the need to upgrade the road networks in the area and has already identified a team of engineers to complete a project design for road works to be done before yearend.
Ali reminded the residents, however, that with certain developments would come the concomitant responsibility of paying for the services provided.
And referring to the possibility of more than $14M of bad debt incurred by residents of the community being written off, he noted that this was only possible after a commitment from them that they will pay their annual unmetered rates after the upgrade was completed.
Among the officials attending the signing ceremony were Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Water, Emil McGarrell, acting Chief Executive Officer, GWI, Nigel Niles, and Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha.
This year more than $1B will be spent on upgrades in the water sector countrywide. Region Six will see new wells at Canefield, Manchester, and No.47 Village, costing $90M each; the Rosehall well, $95M; the upgrade of the Grant 1806 transmission lines, $10M; the upgrade to the Lesbeholden/Canefield transmission lines, $80M; and the upgrade of service connections in Nos. 53, 47, 73 and Gaypark at the cost of $30M, GINA stated.
