Edghill grateful as citizens heed call to remove roadside encumbrances

Days after Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill urged Guyanese to ensure roadside encumbrances that were obstructing the free flow of traffic are cleared, he said on Wednesday that citizens have heeded the call.

The minister, during a press engagement at his office, thanked those persons and labelled them as “patriotic Guyanese.”

“As minister, I want to thank many patriotic Guyanese who have already heeded the call and regularised themselves.

“It is obvious through the various parts of Guyana and this is a good thing,” Edghill said.

He explained that while the ministry has also been engaged in removing some obstacles and waste from the roadside, it does not wish to be in confrontation with citizens.

“We want compliance… some people have enquired where the derelict site is to transport their own vehicles there,” he added while notifying that the Ministry’s dumpsite for derelict vehicles is at Laluni on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

“We don’t want to interrupt economic activity in the country. We want people to ply their trade and safety is important.

“In a society where lawlessness is allowed is not the standard… law and order is the standard,” Edghill said.

He said his ministry was on the East Coast of Demerara on Wednesday removing derelict materials from the roadside, some of which were used to block the main carriageway during a massive protest a day earlier.

Last Friday, Edghill warned that from June 27, the ministry will start removing all obstacles and waste materials that have been left on roadways or that are impeding developmental works.

Scrap iron, tyres and even some temporary structures can be found in various locations blocking roadways and preventing further construction.

Though obstacles and waste on roads have been a bugbear for commuters, the Public Works Minister acknowledged that sand or other building materials may be legitimately placed on parts of roadways.