From inaccessible to unimaginable, Cummings Lodge becomes model for urban development

The Cummings Lodge community along the East Coast of Demerara is rapidly evolving into a thriving urban centre, driven by massive public and private sector investments, modern infrastructure, and improved access to essential services.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali highlighted this transformation on Saturday afternoon during the commissioning of the new Cummings Lodge Water Treatment Plant, describing the project as part of a larger plan to build out an entire ecosystem of development in the area.

“Many persons who are new to this area would never understand that this area was not even accessible,” the president recalled. “Today, you can drive from Buzz Bee Dam all the way to this area [Cummings Lodge] and go to Ogle onto the new highways. What you will see over the next five years here is another phase of unimaginable transformation.”

He explained that thousands of new homes, highways, transmission lines, educational facilities, and private sector investments are being developed in the area.

“This plant will serve not only residential areas but also the growing industrial and commercial demand that will follow,” President Ali said. “That is why we are building out the ecosystem now, ensuring there is enough water supply to meet future needs.”

The president emphasised that Cummings Lodge exemplifies the government’s broader strategy for balanced, sustainable urban expansion, integrating housing, public services, and infrastructure to create livable communities.

“This is what transformation looks like,” he affirmed. “We are building communities that support families, industries, and the future of a modern Guyana.”

To get a better understanding of the scale of development taking place in the area, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar explained that the tanks at the new water treatment plant are the largest ever constructed in Guyana, designed to meet the growing demand of the rapidly expanding community.

During a walkabout in Cummings Lodge in December 2022, President Ali announced the establishment of over 1,500 homes and several other essential facilities. To date, hundreds of homes have already been constructed.

The housing development stretches from Sophia in Greater Georgetown to the vicinity of Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara, with a total investment of $1.4 billion being injected into developing the area. [DPI]