The Parliamentary Committee of Supply, on Tuesday, approved the 2023 budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Housing and Water, where several major road projects will receive necessary funding for continuation and completion this year.
Included in a $50 billion allocation is $7.3 billion to complete the Eccles to Diamond leg of the Mandela to Diamond Four Lane Highway. The road is slated for completion this year.
Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, while responding to questions from former Housing Minister, Annette Ferguson, reiterated that completion of the full Mandela to Diamond Four Lane Highway will be achieved within months.
Monies were also approved for the construction of roads and drainage structures in several new housing schemes, including Guyana’s first smart urban centre – Silica City located along the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway.
Another $5.4 billion was approved for the $12 billion Schoonard, West Bank Demarara to Crane, West Coast Demerara four lane highway for which $2.7 billion has already been spent.
This project is expected to be completed next year.
Interestingly, the ministry plans to construct a new main office, and those plans will move ahead this year with $467.5 million approved for this process.
These funds are only for the first phase of construction of the edifice at Houston along the Mandela to Eccles Road.
There are monies approved for the continuation of regularisation of several squatter areas.
Additionally, $17.7 billion, which was allocated in Budget 2023 to further improve the water sector, was approved.
In 2023, $1.4 billion will be spent on the further upgrade and extension of water supply systems and construction of wells in several hinterland communities of Regions 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9.
