| “This Government offers a hodge podge of road and bridge projects but has failed to recognise that the role of roads and bridges is to be the infrastructural basis of,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, and contribute to, the wider economic development of Guyana,Cheap NFL Jerseys, and therefore it has to be part of a wider development strategy.” Central Executive Member of the People’s National Congress Reform, Aubrey Norton, told the National Assembly on Friday that Minister of Transport and Hydraulics,Jerseys From China, Robeson Benn, should be fired for wasting billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on building substandard roads.Aubrey NortonNorton told the House that the budget for the transport and communication sector is characterised by unfulfilled promises and a lack of strategic planning.He drew reference to the 2008 Budget debate where Benn promised many things. Minister Benn had said, according to Norton, that by the end of last year the government would more or less complete the rehabilitation of the Corentyne Highway from New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek.“We are all aware that this did not happen and we are promised that it will now be completed in 2009.”Norton also pointed to the promise that the Bartica/Potaro Road would have been addressed with an initial sum of $20M for construction of some three miles of impassable sections at various locations.“Again this did not happen, and provisions are again placed in this Budget to carry out the same work… It is clear that the Minister merely becomes involved in political propaganda and is not serious about the development of communities.”He said that when it is not an unfulfilled promise it is the execution of poor work.“The Minister fulfilled his promise to build some roads; in Linden, Wismar,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Pine, Manni and Crabwood Creek,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, streets were completed. Unfortunately, as we speak here, many of those streets are already in a deplorable state.”According to Norton, what that means is last year the Minister boasted of road construction and by this year it is money poured down the drain.He told the House that on average, roads that were constructed last no longer than 14 months, and there was clearly a need for new and better road designs and more competent contractors, and for there to be a guarantee as it relates to the length of time these roads will serve the people of Guyana.Benn did promise a conference that he would bring together engineers to address the same problem of inadequately designed roads.According to Norton, “we literally threw away millions of dollars on the Linden to Kwakwani road because the work was not properly done; to be precise we threw away $20 million.”He said that road construction under the PPP and Benn is a waste of money. “He should be given the treatment that he is famous for. He should be fired.”According to Norton a major problem apart from the poorly built roads was the absence of vision as it relates to the transport sector and poor prioritisation of roads and bridges.“There is regular reference in this budget to the completion of the Takatu Bridge. Unfortunately there is little or nothing in the Budget that suggests that we are preparing for the advent of the Takatu Bridge.”According to Norton, “his Government offers a hodgepodge of road and bridge projects but has failed to recognise that the role of roads and bridges is to be the infrastructural basis of, and contribute to the wider economic development of Guyana,Jerseys From China, and therefore it has to be part of a wider development strategy…“Were this recognised there would have been different priorities.” |
