The Guyanese government has announced a major infrastructure initiative, allocating approximately $8 billion for the reconstruction of 29 concrete bridges that will connect Monkey Mountain in Region Eight to Karasabai in Region Nine. This ambitious project aims to significantly improve road connectivity and ease travel for residents and businesses in some of the country’s most remote hinterland communities.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, made the announcement during the commissioning of 45 new bridges between Lethem and Linden, a separate project valued at over $7.7 billion. Edghill described the new bridges between Regions Eight and Nine as a “massive and strategic” undertaking designed to provide a seamless link between the two regions. Once completed, the project will eliminate the need for lengthy detours and challenging mountain crossings, allowing for direct travel between Karasabai and Paramakatoi.
The government has already gone out to bid for the construction of these 29 bridges, which will replace existing structures along the route. The improved infrastructure is expected to cut travel times dramatically and open new economic opportunities for residents. “You don’t have to go all the way around to Mahdia and then return here. In some instances, when you travel to Mahdia you are unable to cross the mountains. But, right from Karasabai you will be able to move all the way down into Paramakatoi. It will be a smooth, seamless link between Regions Eight and Nine,” Edghill stated.
This bridge project is part of a broader government push to upgrade roads and bridges across the hinterland. Recent works include the completion of concrete roads in communities such as Yurong Paru, Monkey Mountain, and Rukumuta, as well as ongoing and planned asphaltic concrete road construction in Kwatamang, Massara, and Rupertee. Additional road projects are also set for Shea, Maruranau, and Achiwib in the Deep South Rupununi.
Officials believe that these investments will not only improve daily life for residents but also reduce the cost of goods and services in the region by making transportation more efficient. The government’s commitment to hinterland connectivity is seen as a key driver for economic growth, better access to education and healthcare, and the overall development of Guyana’s interior.
