West
Demerara Highway Should be Reconsidered…
Ronald Singh
I note with interest the socio-political and legal masquerade
that has captured the nation’s attention over the last few months.
Notwithstanding the ills of these events, many of which were unwanted or could
have been avoided, one can see that this young democracy is up and running.
This is a positive element in our development drive. Most Guyanese, except
those with political aspirations, and/or those with politically impaired
vision, would agree that we have come a far way in recent decades. Clearly, political
and economic foresight, strategies and maneuvers, along with the international
financial meltdown at a time when our few exports are enjoying high demand and
prices, have been the mules in our progress over the last 5 – 7 years, or so. However,
sustainable development requires not only vigilance and forward looking
policies and programs, but also leadership with the testicular apparatuses for
radical redesigning and implementation. At the same time, the leadership must
have a vision of where the economy should be in the next 10-25 years. To that
end, I chose to pen my thoughts, and advocate for an inland highway that would
have a far greater positive impact on our development than would the proposed
West Demerara Highway.
Proponents may hold strong to their view that the
proposed project would among other reasons, enhance free flow of traffic along
the West Demerara – Parika corridor. But while this may be so in the short run,
it would likely come at a high cost, and prove grossly inadequate in a decade
or so. In the first place, hundreds of houses and other buildings would have to
be moved back to permit widening of the highway. Further, whatever free flow advantage
gained would be negated by the bottlenecks at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
Additionally, increased traffic with vehicles of varying sizes, and possible
increased speed zones, through road-edge villages would not only increase noise
and carbon pollution, but would also pose a threat to the safety of children,
the elderly and cyclists. Throw in a few more casualties at medical facilities
across West Demerara and reality would paint a vivid picture of the potential
fatalities.
A more potent approach to increase efficiency and
free flow of traffic would be to cut a B-line highway from near the west-end of
the Demerara Bridge and go towards the Essequibo River, and then bending
towards Bonasika with the idea of continuing to Makouria. This would solve the
free flow of traffic problem as well as our long term infrastructural and
economic drive. This highway would induce population movement thereby creating
jobs through housing, infrastructure, agriculture and economic activities as
people gravitate towards the highway. Equally important is the fact that
settlements such as Hague backdam, Ruby backdam and Parika backdam have already
stretched several miles inland. Furthermore, there is every possibility that
recently established Tuschen, Zeelugt and CI, as well proposed housing schemes
at Leonora and Uitvlugt, and private housing drives would continue further
inland over the next decade or so. We should therefore not harness the West
Demerara highway with additional traffic from these schemes. Instead we should
re-route traffic through an inland highway not far behind these schemes.
In a nutshell, an inland highway as proposed here
would alleviate the problem of slow moving traffic, and at the same time bring
multiple other benefits to our economy, in keeping with our long term
sustainable economic growth and development.
