President commits $62M to road improvement in Matarkai Sub-Region

• Makes inaugural visit to Matthews Ridge, Port Kaituma

Georgetown, GINA, November 16, 2005

As the administration seeks to improve travel around hinterland communities, the road network in the Sub-Region of Matarkai, Region One, (Barima/Waini) will receive a significant boost with the allocation of $62M.

This money will be provided for in the 2006 National Budget, which is expected to be presented January next year.

The allocation was made today by President Bharrat Jagdeo when he visited the sub-Region for the first time.

The President arrived to warm welcomes at both Matthews Ridge and Port Kaituma, where he hosted community meetings during which he agreed to expend $62M to repair the road network to link the communities within the Matarkai, Sub-Region

At Matthews Ridge, residents of Baramita implored President Jagdeo to fund repairs to the only access road to that community from Matthews Ridge.

This project began three years ago by the Regional Administration and three miles have been completed with allocations from the three previous regional budgets. According to engineers’ estimate, $12M is needed to complete the remainder of the road.

Baramita, a predominantly Amerindian village, came into existence in the 1960s. It is 31 miles away from Matthews and at present it is only accessible by air. Residents cannot afford the airfare in most cases and hence travel is almost minimal.

The Regional Administration has proposed repairs to this road in its 2006 budget submitted to Central Government.

The President assured that it will be approved.

“Go ahead and award the contract now. Do not wait on the Budget to do the preparatory work. So when the budget comes out, we are hoping in January, you would be able to start work immediately. We cannot have a community so remote and not do anything to ‘cut off’ the remoteness,” the President said.

Meanwhile, President Jagdeo assured that Government will look at the possibility of further repairing the road at a later date. This will allow for other vehicles to use the road, which is currently accessed by tractor only.

However, this is estimated to cost about US$4,000 per mile, a likely total of $28M.

The President advised Regional Executive Officer Ishwar Dass to write the Ministry of Finance early to obtain a waiver so that selective tendering in Region One can be done.

The Head of State also agreed to fund repairs of the road linking Matthews Ridge to Port Kaituma. He recalled that $20M was given to the Region for that purpose, but additional repairs are to be undertaken.

“I will give them another $35M to further improve the road so that people can travel easier, even the children using the roads, but again you have to start the preparatory work for the contract now,” he said at the community meeting.

At Port Kaituma, the President witnessed the state of disrepair of the roads particularly from the airstrip to the newly refurbished secondary school.

“The roads here are in a bad state. I am prepared to give $15M to fund repairs,” he said.

Residents requested that the repairs be extended to the housing areas further down, via an all-weather road. However, this may cost more and residents have to decide which option they prefer.

“We cannot have our little children going to school on such bad roads. They will be repaired,” he committed.

The Head of State also committed to funding several other initiatives in the health, education and transport sectors among others.

Accompanying the President, on his inaugural trip to the Sub-Region were Minister of Amerindian Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues, Regional Chairman Norman Whittaker, Commander, E&F Division senior superintendent of Police Gavin Primo, Manager of Surveys at Lands and Survey Commission Leon Rutherford and other Government officials.

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