“Billions Spent, but Priorities Misplaced”: APNU MPs Slam Gov’t Over Dilapidated Brickdam Access Road
By: Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a direct challenge to the government’s infrastructure track record, Opposition Members of Parliament Saiku Andrews and Sherod Duncan took to social media over the weekend to highlight the severe deterioration of the Brickdam access road. The MPs are questioning the central government’s ability to manage the 57 city streets it recently wrestled away from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), given the poor state of roads that have been under state control for decades.
Standing on the uneven and pothole-ridden thoroughfare, the APNU representatives argued that the government’s “quantity over quality” approach is pushing the nation’s construction capacity to its breaking point.
A Flawed Approach to Infrastructure
MP Saiku Andrews contended that while billions of dollars are being funneled into new projects, the lack of a maintenance culture for existing “main arteries” is becoming increasingly evident.
- Capacity Overload: Andrews believes that the capacity of local contractors has been “maximized” due to the sheer volume of projects running simultaneously. He argued that instead of building contractor capacity first, the government is rushing into projects for political mileage.
- “Politically Expedient” Projects: The MP suggested that the government is choosing high-profile new builds over the vital maintenance of historic streets like Brickdam.
- Patchwork vs. Maintenance: “Not maintained properly, and this is the result of what we are getting,” Andrews stated, pointing to what he described as “patchwork” solutions rather than structural rehabilitation.
The 57 Streets Power Struggle
The visit was framed by the ongoing legal and political battle between the Ministry of Public Works and the M&CC over the control of 57 critical streets in Georgetown.
- Track Record in Question: MP Sherod Duncan reminded viewers that Brickdam has always been a central government responsibility. “Six years in, you are taking streets from City Hall, but what you have, you can’t even maintain,” Duncan remarked.
- The “Tyranny of Control”: Duncan argued that the government’s move to seize control of municipal streets is less about development and more about a power grab. He suggested that if the government cannot keep Brickdam in good repair, their promise to better manage 57 additional streets is a “fallacy.”
- The M&CC Position: It was noted during the broadcast that the City Council has never opposed government assistance; however, the MPs believe the government’s refusal to collaborate is what has led to the current state of urban decay.
A Call for a Strategy Shift
The two MPs concluded their broadcast by urging the government to “know their capacity” and relook at the national infrastructure strategy. For Andrews and Duncan, the state of Brickdam—a road that sits in the heart of the capital and passes the historic Police Station and Ministry of Health—is a symbolic failure of the administration’s “One Guyana” development plan. As the M&CC continues to threaten legal action over the 57 streets, the potholes on Brickdam remain a stark reminder of the work that remains at home.
