Dear Editor,
Permit me space to address several critical issues concerning the operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and the expanding nature of its activities. The primary mandate of the CHPA is to provide affordable housing and related infrastructure for working-class Guyanese. However, recent developments suggest that the agency has assumed an expanded role in the construction of highways and major access roads, functions that rightfully fall under the purview of the Ministry of Public Works. Upon completion, these roads are subsequently gazetted and handed over to the Ministry. This practice is problematic and requires urgent correction.
It is important to recall that under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government (2015–2020), there existed a coherent, clearly articulated policy framework governing infrastructure development. All major public roads and highways were designed, supervised, and executed through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. This ensured unified technical oversight, consistent standards, and proper accountability.
Support was likewise provided to the Ministry of Communities, the Georgetown City Council, and CHPA only for works within their respective mandates, namely, inner community roads, drainage, and housing-related infrastructure. In stark contrast, the current Ali administration exhibits no coherent policy direction in the management of major infrastructural projects. Today we see the Ministry of Agriculture constructing roads, the Ministry of Natural Resources constructing roads, and CHPA constructing highways, resulting in fragmentation, duplication, and weakened accountability across the sector.
Historically, CHPA has been treated as a semi-autonomous agency. Prior to May 2015, it was widely regarded as a “cash cow,” with funds from its housing accounts often diverted to undertake projects beneficial to political or administrative interests. This stands in contradiction to the intended purpose of those funds, which is to prudently serve the poor and vulnerable. Additionally, CHPA’s audits are not conducted by the Audit Office of Guyana but instead by private auditors. This alone should raise concern, especially given that CHPA routinely receives substantial subventions from the consolidated fund, for infrastructure works, including electricity installation, community roads in new housing schemes, and water distribution networks.
During the construction phase of the continuation of Mandela Avenue, stretching from Aubrey Barker Road to the area now referred to as the Heroes Highway and onward to Diamond, my colleague, former Minister David Patterson, and I raised concerns about this expanded role of CHPA. We questioned whether the agency possessed the technical capacity to construct major public highways. At that time, Minister Colin Croal assured the public that CHPA indeed had the capability.
As a frequent user of this corridor, I encourage Minister Croal and the technical team at CHPA to conduct an urgent assessment of the western-bound carriageway, where cracks have already emerged. These early signs of failure pose safety risks to motorists and suggest premature wear and tear, an outcome that should not characterize a recently constructed roadway.
It is important to recall that the Heroes Highway, covering approximately 9.4 kilometres at a cost of $13.3 billion, was commissioned exactly two years ago, (December 10, 2025). Yet, with the current widening works now underway, the public remains uninformed about critical technical details, including the proposed width and depth of the expansion, since these specifications were omitted from the recent public reporting.
After the opening of the Ogle Bypass Road from Eccles, including the Haags Bosch Road connector, I observed significant congestion at the Jaguar Roundabout. Motorists experience daily discomfort as vehicles converge from four major points:
• North from Aubrey Barker Road,
• East from Haags Bosch Road,
• West from Haags Bosch Road, and
• South from the alignment of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge.
I previously raised these concerns through written commentary and a live video analysis, urging the authorities to intervene. Eventually, corrective attention was given.
Approximately three weeks ago, I observed renewed activity along the western-bound side of the Heroes Highway: excavation, sand stockpiling, and mobilisation of equipment. The installation of survey pickets indicated imminent expansion works, which a worker later confirmed during my on-site engagement. Similar excavation has now started on the eastern-bound side near the Jaguar Roundabout. While I welcome infrastructural improvements, I am concerned about the manner in which these works have been procured and financed. Notably, the 2025 National Budget did not provide allocations for this specific widening initiative.
The Kaieteur News article of Thursday, December 11, 2025, reported that $4.2 billion in contracts have been awarded for the widening of Heroes Highway. This raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. It is far easier to process contracts through CHPA, which has its own tender board. Contractors deemed favourable are frequently shortlisted, after which CHPA seeks approval from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), a body also dominated by PPP/C-aligned members and sympathisers.
To spend an additional $4.2 billion on a highway completed just two years ago suggests that the original project lacked a proper feasibility study, one that should have accounted for increased vehicular activity following the completion of the Ogle Bypass. Such foundational planning would have anticipated the resulting congestion and mitigated the need for costly revisions.
In the absence of active parliamentary sittings, where Minister Croal could be questioned and held to account, it falls upon concerned citizens to demand transparency. I therefore publicly call on Minister Croal to clarify the following urgent matters, which the recent news article failed to address:
1. Why were the widening works not included in the initial design and construction of the 9.4 km Heroes Highway?
2. Where is the $4.2 billion being sourced to finance this project?
3. What data, studies, or traffic modelling informed the decision to widen the roadway in 2025?
4. Why was this project not deferred to 2026, given the absence of a 2025 budgetary allocation?
5. What is the expected duration of the widening works?
6. Upon completion, how will the project alleviate congestion at the Jaguar Roundabout, and will this eliminate the need for police officers to manually control traffic during peak hours?
As I conclude, let me reiterate, I am not opposed to infrastructural development. Rather, I am deeply concerned about the persistent absence of transparency and accountability in public spending. Guyanese citizens deserve accurate, timely information and the assurance that their resources are being utilized responsibly.
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson
