Guyana in talks with UK companies on Phase 2 of Linden to Lethem Road Project

As the Guyana Government continues to explore financing options for the second phase of the Linden to Lethem Road Upgrade Project, discussions were held with a number of companies from the United Kingdom (UK).

This is according to former British High Commissioner Jane Miller, who departed Guyana after wrapping up a four-year tenure here last week. Currently, there is some £3 billion in funding available under the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), which is available for the Guyana Government to tap into and possibly fund the all-weather road upgrade.

President Dr Irfaan Ali had previously hinted at utilising this UKEF facility to finance Phase Two of the critical road project. In fact, the Guyanese Head of State is currently in London and recently met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UKEF, Tim Read, to discuss key infrastructure projects in Guyana. But according to Miller, there have already been engagements between the Guyana Government and British companies on this project.

“It’s very exciting. So, we’ve got a couple of [UK] businesses that are in discussions with the Government at the moment in terms of doing some of the further sections [on the Linden to Lethem Road Project],” the former British Diplomat told this publication during an interview on Wednesday.

“The utility, the benefits from that road section that we are constructing [would] only really materialise when it becomes a full road corridor, all the way from Brazil to the Atlantic coast. So, we’ve been very much encouraging that the whole trade corridor be completed. I know there are other export finance agencies also working with the Government. So, we’re in discussions at the moment, and I look forward to the day when I can drive from Georgetown to Lethem smoothly with a bridge over the Kurupukari River in the Essequibo River. So yeah, there are lots of discussions going on at the moment,” she added.

Currently, Phase One of the project is ongoing and will see 121 kilometres (km) of asphalt road being built from Linden to Mabura Hill in Region 10 (Demerara-Berbice). This US$190 million section is being funded through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) via a US$112 million loan, a grant of £50 million (US$66 million) from the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) and an input of US$12 million from the Guyana Government.

Phase Two of this project will see the all-weather road being extended from Mabura Hill to Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Currently, the road network is being utilised by an estimated 50,000 travellers who transport goods from the coast to the inland regions of Guyana and even into neighbouring Brazil. In fact, Guyana and Brazil are presently exploring financing options for that second half of the road that will also serve as a critical transport link for the two countries and open up new trade opportunities. The previous condition of this road had posed significant challenges for commuters and transport operators.

Heavily laden lorries frequently toppled on the roadway, and deteriorated bridges required manual alignment of boards for crossings, often with unsafe outcomes. However, when completed as an all-weather road, this pertinent piece of infrastructure would significantly improve connectivity. Earlier this month, the Public Works Ministry reported that works are advancing on the highly anticipated all-weather road to Lethem, with 75 per cent of the paving works on the first section, Linden to Mabura Hill, completed to date.

The entire Phase One project is 62 per cent completed to date. The upgraded road will boast a 7.2-metre-wide carriageway, a two-metre-wide pedestrian and cycle lane, and 10 bus stops with ramps for persons with disabilities. Additionally, the project includes the replacement of multiple bridges and culverts, as well as the installation of 123 lights along the roadway. The plan also includes building a 600-metre bridge over the Kurupukari River and a causeway to ensure the road is open to traffic 24/7 – something which the former British High Commissioner says will bring a host of benefits.

“When I’ve been to speak to some of the communities along the road, they see the benefit in terms of getting to school, getting to hospitals quicker, and being able to get access to better jobs. But it will also bring new travellers through, and it will be a massive opportunity for ecotourism or for just lay-bys where people can stop and have something to eat and relax. So, there are lots of opportunities that will come along that road,” Miller emphasised. In the same breath, however, she went on to highlight some of the risks that come with such development, including increased logging, increased mining, illegal transportation of people and even road accidents.

Only last week, three persons were killed after a speeding car slammed into a parked trailer along the newly asphalted Linden-Mabura Trail. “There are all sorts of things that could happen that could go wrong, and I think the key thing is the Government is aware of those things and thinking now about how to mitigate the risks. One of the things that’s worried me is about road traffic accidents… but yeah, I think making sure that there are proper speed cameras and thinking about gravel strips or other ways in which to slow down the traffic along that road is going to be important. But the benefits are huge, both for the communities and also for the countries on both sides, both for Brazil and for Guyana. We know that trade corridors all over the world can be transformative,” the former British Diplomat stated.