Why Don’t We Have a Modern Highway from Georgetown to Lethem as Yet?

6th of August, 2022. Guyana, South America. GSA News. Guyana News.

Over 56 years after Guyana gained Independence from Britain, the road from Lethem to Georgetown remain unpaved, primitive and broken, hindering commerce and tourism efforts. Successive governments have promised, to no avail, to pave the road from Lethem to Georgetown.

Before losing the elections in 2015, the PPP/C government had rejected a proposal by the Brazilian government to build a highway from Lethem to Georgetown in exchange for certain facilities, such as the use of Port Georgetown to ship Brazilian products out of Guyana. They also offered Brazilian products at factory price as part of the deal. It is time for the government to revisit and reconsider accepting this proposal.

In 2015, when the APNU/AFC government took office, they promised that they would pave the road. But after five years in office, and several loans inked for the purpose, little progress was made in paving the 300-mile stretch that connects Lethem to the capital city.

Presently, it takes a grueling 12 to 15 hours to travel from Georgetown to Lethem or vice versa along the rugged trail. That time could be reduced as much as 50% if there were a modern, well built highway. Persons could be whisked from the city to Region 9 and vice versa in as little as 6 hours of easy driving.

The PPP/C government, upon taking office, has promised once again that paving the road from Lethem to Georgetown would be a priority. Reportedly, there has been some progress, but it is moving at a snail’s pace. More than two years after the current government has taken office, only marginal improvement has been made to the trail.

Guyana now has the financial resources to move the Lethem-Georgetown road project forward. And the government in power should seize the day to turn this dream into a reality. Doing so will give people in the hinterland greater access to markets, products, and services in the city. It will also result in a greater influx of Brazilian travelers, as well as boost commerce, tourism, and the country’s economy in general. Help us pressure the Guyana Government to start work on the Lethem to Linden Highway now. Sign the petition.