By Saskia Warrick
December 17, 2024
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, has pledged accelerated efforts to restore electricity and water supplies to residents after the collapse of electrical poles along Aubrey Barker Road.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday between Kaikan Street and Festival City’s entrance, caused major power disruptions for the community.
Minister Edghill visited the site on Tuesday, where he offered his apologies to affected residents.
He assured them that bypass installations and pole replacements would be completed by the end of the day.
The re-erection of the poles has begun, with stabilizing straps added, and in some areas, broken concrete poles are being replaced with Wallaba poles.
The Minister called on engineers to exercise closer oversight during the process and urged contractors to engage with residents respectfully.
“While we have got the disaster under control, we must always ensure a smooth restoration process,” Minister Edghill emphasized.
He also instructed contractors to document the pre-construction conditions of properties to guarantee accurate restoration in case of any damage during the process.
In addition, Minister Edghill confirmed that all necessary contracts have been awarded to fast-track the transformation of Aubrey Barker Road into a four-lane highway.
This project will be a crucial connection linking the South Ruimveldt area to Ogle, East Coast Demerara, and is expected to improve transportation in the region.