Landowners affected by Schoonord – Crane highway give ‘unwavering’ support

Proprietors whose land will be utilized to construct the new Schoonord, West Bank Demerara to Crane, West Coast Demerara four-lane highway have pledged their “unwavering support” for the acquisition of their land to execute the project.

Farmers and other stakeholders whose lands are in the path of the new $11.8 billion highway expressed their support while meeting with President Dr. Irfaan Ali at the Office of the President, Georgetown on Tuesday.

“The group gave their unwavering support to the Government in acquiring their land for the construction of the highway,” a post on Facebook from the Office of the President noted.

The post also noted that President Ali wanted to have a face-to-face meeting with the farmers so that the government can “help them” and make them feel “valued”.

Eight contractors from a total of 30 who submitted bids for the project signed their respective contracts at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown during a simple signing ceremony on September 7, 2022.

The project will see the construction of 4.1 kilometres of a dual carriageway reinforced concrete road with an emergency lane as well as 2.4 kilometres of road rehabilitation, and upgrade.

It will also feature two roundabouts, 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 pre-stressed bridges, and road signage and markings.

In October, 2020 – two months after he assumed office, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced his intention of creating a new four-lane highway in Region Three, running from the new Demerara Harbour Bridge to Parika.

The new highway will open thousands of acres of land for housing, large-scale agriculture projects, tourism and other activities, the President had envisaged.

The signing of the contracts for the Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway signaled the start of that vision becoming a reality as the new thoroughfare covers a section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Parika highway.