Kumaka Stelling Project Misses Deadline, APNU Candidate Slams ‘Government Waste’
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News
KUMAKA, Region One – Frustration is mounting in the North West District as the long-promised $1.9 billion Kumaka Stelling project remains incomplete, months after its April 2025 deadline.
Juretha Fernandes, Prime Ministerial Candidate for the Partnership for National Unity (APNU), visited the half-finished structure on Sunday, telling residents that the delay — coupled with cost overruns — is part of a troubling pattern in Region One. She drew parallels to other recent infrastructure failures, including a section of the Port Kaituma Wharf that collapsed into the river and issues plaguing the Morawhanna Stelling.
“When billions are mismanaged or wasted, that’s money taken directly out of communities,” Finance told the crowd. “Those funds could have been used to lower transportation costs, improve schools, and make basic goods more affordable.”
Pattern of Problems in Region One
According to Fernandes, she has heard repeated complaints during her tour of the region: high food and fuel prices, poor infrastructure, and slow delivery of promised services. She pledged that an APNU-led government would ensure infrastructure contracts are transparent, completed on schedule, and built to last.
“It’s about priorities for us — it’s the people first, not the pockets of friends, family, and favourites,” she asserted.
Residents Demand Answers
The stalled stelling project, meant to improve river transport and trade in the area, has now become a visible symbol of public frustration. Residents say they feel abandoned by the authorities, with many questioning where the allocated funds have gone and why there is no clear timeline for completion.
As elections approach, the state of the Kumaka Stelling is likely to remain a hot-button issue, emblematic of broader debates over governance, accountability, and spending in Guyana’s hinterland regions.
