Gov’t considers railway system between Haslington and Diamond

As the government makes upgrades to the road link that replaced the decades-old railway lines along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), consideration is being given to putting in place a new railway system connecting Haslington on the ECD to Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara.

This is according to Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who said various alternatives had been under study since he served as president over 15 years ago.

There is still active consideration to a railway connecting Guyana and Brazil, mainly for the movement of cargo and freight.

But Jagdeo said while that is being assessed in the context of the port development connecting northern Brazil, there are also more specific domestic considerations.

“Between Haslington/Golden Grove on the East Coast to Diamond we have a huge amount of our people that live in this area… some 350, 000 people live here.

“We have considered the possibility of a light railway there,” Jagdeo said.

He said there is also consideration for a system in the capital city, Georgetown but said that will come at a later date once the government delivers on its promise to cut electricity cost by half.

He was keen to note that while the coastal railway is now on the back burner, the idea is not totally abandoned. He said the best option now is to further upgrade the roads that first replace the railway lines on the East Coast of Demerara.

“We are developing the road links at this point in time.

“We have to look at people’s proclivity… everyone owning vehicles and in a few years most people will own their home.

“The demand for it [roads] is a crucial thing.

Guyana’s public railway system was dismantled in stages by former President, the late Forbes Burnham, and closed in 1972.

The Demerara-Berbice Railway was the first railroad built in both Guyana, and the continent of South America, beginning service in 1848. It connected Georgetown with Rosignol on Guyana’s east coast.

Originally running only to Plaisance upon its opening in 1848, it was extended to Rosignol in stages, eventually becoming over 60 miles in length.