The Ministries of Natural Resources and Public Infrastructure have committed a “sizeable” budget towards fixing several hinterland roads used by miners, according to Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.
“All hinterland road rehabilitation works have been moved to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure since 2015. However, this year the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) have committed a sizeable budget to assist in getting as many roads fixed,” the minister told Stabroek News on Sunday.
On Friday last, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association in a full page ad in the Stabroek News, called on the government to enforce the established road users’ agreement which stipulates and monitors the weight restrictions for trucks and other vehicles transporting fuel and other supplies at key points such as Mackenzie and Bartica.
According to the association, “…Some trucking services are damaging the roads in the interior that have to be used by miners. Some of these roads are so bad that they are seriously affecting the operations of many of our miners.”
Additionally, the agreement notes that users shall be liable for damage to government’s property caused by the negligent use of the roadways by their employees and/or agents.
Earlier this year, MPI had said that the government would crack down against overloaded mining trucks on interior roads.
A statement from the MPI had said that last year, significant sums were spent in the hinterland for the rehabilitation of roadways. “Some $54.5 million were spent in 2016 to repair the Puruni-Itaballi corridor,” the statement said.
Furthermore, in 2017, $100 million were set aside to improve the Puruni-Pappishou corridor, the ministry said. According to the ministry, “road users must play their part by adhering to stipulations such as the prohibition of vehicles weighing more than 60 tons crossing the Itaballi-Puruni bridges.”
In April, MPI also opened bids for the rehabilitation of several hinterland roads in Region Seven.
