HGP Nightly News – President Irfaan Ali has expressed concerned over what he says is a serious problem on government project sites: workers are not showing up.
He revealed that an assessment of government projects found the average labour turnout in December was below 35 per cent, a figure he says Guyana cannot afford as it pushes through a massive national development programme. “We can’t build a country that is resilient and sustainable with that work culture and that work ethic when you have 35 per cent labour turnout on major projects like these,” the President said, arguing that the issue must be tackled quickly to avoid long-term damage to productivity.
Ali’s comments come as contractors continue to complain about the shortage of workers in Guyana’s construction boom, including difficulty finding truck drivers and construction labour. He said the private sector has raised similar concerns, not only about availability, but also about productivity, rising labour costs and what he described as weaknesses in work ethic. “We must do better… if we are to build for the long term,” he said.
To prevent delays or stagnation, Ali said the government is moving toward a more flexible labour model, within the bounds of the law, to keep both public and private sector projects moving.
The President made the remarks while inspecting the Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan Road project, which will create an alternative four-lane highway along the East Bank Demerara corridor. He said the project is divided into eight lots, with work started on all of them. According to Ali, Lot 1 is about 33 per cent complete, while Lot 7 is the most advanced at 57 per cent, with a roundabout forming and major drainage works replacing clogged canals with concrete structures.
He said the highway will link into the Mandela to Diamond highway (Heroes Highway) and feature several interconnections that tie Buzz Bee Dam to Land of Canaan into the existing East Bank corridor. Ali also pointed to extensive drainage works, noting the transformation of former swampland through excavation, vertical drains and sand compaction.
He highlighted safety features including medians, emergency lanes and pull-off areas, and said engineers planned key excavation work for the dry season to reduce weather-related delays. He also said motorists will see 28 major drainage structures designed to keep the system functioning, alongside supporting infrastructure such as transmission lines.
Ali added that land acquisition issues that previously slowed progress have now been resolved, allowing the project to move into full implementation.
Along with the continuation of the Ogle to Eccles Highway to Timehri and the widening of the existing East Bank public road into four lanes, Ali said the expanding highway network is intended to ease travel to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and support access to hinterland regions.
