Dear Editor,
There is a saying “the eyes are useless if the mind is blind”, thus, I was not surprised to read a letter published in the Friday, November 2, 2018 edition of the Stabroek News, under the headline,`These road projects should be evaluated by Audit Office’, penned by Member of Parliament Juan Edghill.
The mind is a parachute; it doesn’t work until it is opened. Once MP Edghill makes an extra effort to open his mind’s capacity he will see that Guyanese are benefiting from their investment in the Coalition Government, especially as it relates to the construction and rehabilitation of roadways nationwide.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure welcomes an audit on the East Bank Berbice Road, Mabaruma Road and the Port Kaituma Roads and as a matter of transparency, on any other project under my Ministry.
I note with interest that MP Edghill is highlighting projects that his government when in power, refused to even consider and turned a blind eye to the residents. For several years, the residents of East Bank Berbice suffered due to the terrible condition of that road, so much so protest actions were a common feature. Do you recall such protests, MP Edghill?
The PPP/C government refused to repair the East Bank Berbice Road saying that it was not “economically viable”, something with which the Coalition Government disagreed, hence, we embarked on upgrading the first stretch of road for the benefit of the residents. Further, it is doubtful, that MP Edghill has ever visited the area because in recent interactions by myself with the community I have received the complete opposite response to that of MP Edghill; in fact, the residents were in high praise of the continued roadworks.
The roads in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma were awarded via public tender and have been ongoing since 2017, the rehabilitation of Mabaruma Main Township Junction to Airstrip Road was contracted to MRK Construction for a sum of $82,127,200 and works commenced on Wednesday, May 10, 2017; while rehabilitation works of Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge Phase 2 was contracted to International Import and Supplies for a sum of $403,081,200 and commenced also on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. Additionally, both projects are 100% completed. Hence, it would have already been under the review of the Auditor General, so, there is no need for poetical grandstanding with a call for audits. Further, like the East Bank Berbice area, these communities were neglected by the previous administration, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is committed to improving the infrastructure in these and all other areas.
I am confident that the best audit on these projects will be the upcoming Local Government Elections on Monday, November 12, 2018, where the people will have an opportunity to express their position.
Yours faithfully,
David Patterson, MP
Minister of Public Infrastructure
