CDB approves US$190M Linden to Mabura road project

THE Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding for the upgrading of 121 kilometres of road from the town of Linden to Mabura Hill, so as to improve connectivity between Guyana’s hinterland and the coastal cities. The project at reference is the first phase of a wider plan to develop a transportation corridor from Georgetown, the capital City, to Lethem on the southwest border, thereby connecting the port in Georgetown with northern Brazil, the Bank says in a release. “The upgrading of this portion of the largely unpaved road from Linden to Mabura Hill is more than an infrastructure project; it will include social safeguards that will ensure residents benefit from the road development, and environmental protections to preserve the ecosystem.

The project will also include activities to mitigate risks associated with increased development, which will build social resilience in the communities along the corridor, and preserve the rights of vulnerable groups,” CDB’s acting Vice-President (Operations), Diana Wilson Patrick is quoted as saying in the release. The US$190M project is being funded with the aid of a US$g112M loan from CDB, a £50 million (US$66 million) grant from the Government of the United Kingdom through the CDB-administered United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund, and a contribution of US$12 million from the Government of Guyana. It represents the largest project that the CDB has ever financed in its 50 years of existence.

“The UK’s support to the Linden to Mabura Hill Road Project demonstrates our strong commitment to Guyana, a key partner for the UK. This transformative project will be critical for the development of Guyana’s north-south connection; it will contribute significantly to economic development and social inclusion, while being climate resilient,” said Acting British High Commissioner to Guyana Ray Davidson.

The unpaved 450-kilometre road from Linden to Lethem is often impassable in the rainy season, due to flooding along low-lying sections of it. The upgrading of the corridor will provide year-round connectivity between Linden and Mabura Hill, improving conditions for local and long-haul transport, which can increase trade between Guyana and Brazil.

In addition, residents in the remote communities along the Linden to Mabura Hill corridor will see immediate benefits from improved access to basic essential services, and an expansion in economic activity. The project will also bolster ecotourism along the corridor, by improving access to several nature reserves, such as the Iwokrama Rain Forest.
As an additional benefit, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing poverty in the country, the road project will provide both short and long-term direct employment in a region characterised by high unemployment.

It will also advance sustainable livelihoods of small and medium-scale enterprises, by facilitating access to financing, markets, and capacity-building services for residents in the project area, including Indigenous Peoples. The project will promote the improved social resilience of communities through capacity-building sessions. This will help to mitigate risks that could result from increased construction activity, and heightened development of the area. The sessions will increase awareness about critical social issues such as gender equality, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the welfare of people with disabilities, children, youth, and the elderly. The project will also include an essential road safety component to protect road users and communities along the route.