Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill says that roads in the East Coast Demerara community of Bare Root will be catered for in the 2023 budget.
His statement came in the wake of residents complaining about the deplorable state of the roads.
Edghill told Stabroek News on Tuesday that at the recent government outreach in Melanie Damishana he had stated that the Bare Root roads are within the rehabilitation programme for 2023. He said that they are presently working on the design and cost of the roads.
He said that every community is included in the One Guyana Initiative and is to benefit from the development programmes including road rehabilitation.
The Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council has also confirmed that the Bare Root roads are to be catered for in the 2023 National Budget. The overseer, Ms. Eastman said that the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for the roads and that they have already submitted the relevant documents.
Stabroek News visited Bare Root village on Tuesday and met with residents who complained about the narrow potholed roads and streets within the village. The roads came to the newspaper’s notice during the recent storm in the area. The roads were described as “roller coasters”. Residents expressed their dissatisfaction, noting that they are taxpayers.
One resident who wish not to be named said, ‘’this road deh like this for the longest while, since I know here this road stay suh. You aint see two car can hardly pass this street. We aint even get a parapet to walk on. Maybe them abandon this village but we paying tax that is what ah want them know. The pothole them deep deep, yuh gah come when rain fall to see wah does go on. Car frighten to come in hay nobody aint want damage them car and me in give them wrong”.
Joyann, another resident said, “girl since me live here Bare Root deh suh and you don’t see nobody coming to do nothing not even to full up them pothole with lil stuff. Certain taxis don’t come in here them does tell you plain them aint going Bare Root. Watch them hole this eh this is a road eh but when you aint pay bills them coming to cut off. We gah fetch out them children when rain fall if you does see water in this street. Wah moh them gah see to come look after the road.”
No one was able to say the last time the roads were repaired. They further said that none of the roads have names.
(Shuntel Glasgow)
