Guyana is marking yet another milestone in its development with the official opening of the US$133.8 million Ogle to Eccles Highway. At the commissioning ceremony held on Monday evening, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali described the highway as a “corridor of opportunity” that will serve as a gateway to progress for generations to come.
What was once sugarcane fields has now been transformed into a 11.8 kilometres of asphaltic road, stretching from Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to Haags Bosch on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). While it provides commuters with a faster, safer alternative route and significantly eases traffic congestion, the president said the real impact goes well beyond travel time.
The corridor will facilitate the rollout of tens of thousands of new housing lots. Already, five new hospitals, six internationally branded hotels, and major private investments, including over US$500 million worth of new projects, are directly tied to the development of this highway, the president revealed.
“Those who say you can’t eat road; something is wrong with your brains. It is not about eating road; it is about creating opportunity. It is not about eating road; it is about investing in people…It is about creating jobs.”
“This bypass road opening up far more than what we can imagine. By improving our road network, we’re improving access to market for farmers, fishermen and small businesses,” the president said.
The head of state outlined how the Ogle to Eccles Highway fits into a larger national infrastructure network, connecting regions and unlocking massive economic potential. Roads from Rupert Craig to Enmore, Diamond to Grove, Land of Canaan to the new Silica City, and even Timheri to Sand Hills are either under construction or in the design phase.
These interconnected highways, bridges, and bypasses will open hundreds of thousands of acres of land for housing, agriculture, forestry, mining, and manufacturing, while enabling Guyanese to travel smoothly from Region One to Nine, and from the coast to the hinterland.
“This road is part of something much bigger, much grander, much more consequential,” the president said. “It is part of a wider transformation of Guyana’s road transport network, and undertaking that reflects the scale and speed of our country’s economic growth and expansion…Roads are not just about movement. They are catalyst for broad-based development; where roads goes, opportunites follows, and where opportunity folllows, so too does human dignity.”
The highway will be integrated with cutting-edge technology from e-ticketing to a smart traffic management system, which will provide real-time traffic monitoring and digital message boards that will provide live updates to drivers through both roadside screens and mobile apps.
President Ali said that the foundation of the highway was designed to accommodate a tram or light rail system, particularly between high-density communities such as Cane Grove and Enmore, opening the door to future urban transit solutions.
He went on to emphasise that “the road is about our ambition, (it is) not cast in stone and asphalt. It is about progress...it is about our vision translated in reality.”
President Ali thanked the engineers, contractors, and ministry staff who worked around the clock to complete the project, calling their efforts part of “the fastest era of infrastructure development in Guyana’s history.”
The president reminded the audience that infrastructure is also personal. The new highway gives back time to citizens, time that can now be spent with children, families, or engaging in meaningful and productive activities. He reiterated that the country’s transformation is not an accident, but a result of deliberate policy, visionary leadership, and persistent execution led by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.
“Let us keep our eyes on the horizon, because the road ahead is long, but it is bright. It is not without bends or bumps, but it is full of promise…the road is open; the path is clear and our journey has only begun,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, announced that the new highway will continue to the Demerara River Bridge at Providence, at the same rate as the new thoroughfare. The government has already engaged Ashoka Buildcon to execute this second phase of the project.
Minister Edghill also explained that the initial budget for the project stood at US$106.4 million but was later increased to $133.8 million due to expanded works that included the construction of bridges, drainage, and elevated surfaces to help with flooding. The minister said that two lanes of road was the initial project but “because of the growth that is taking place in Guyana, President Ali and his cabinet decicded that we will not have a two-lane connector at Haags Bosch, but we will continue with four-lanes.”
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar said Ashoka Buildcon Limited used the best “construction technology” in constructing the highway. The firm is one of India’s largest construction companies that specialises in bridges, oil and gas, technology and healthcare.
Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. Amit S Telang lauded the strong partnership between the two nations, which he said is being strengthened through initiatives like this highway. DPI
