The current pace of infrastructure projects in Guyana is unprecedented. This administration is spending money as if it is being shaken off of a tree somewhere, to use a local colloquialism. While this development is said to be driven by oil revenue, that is not literally the case. There has been and continues to be significantly aggressive borrowing by the government to finance the continuous building programme. Among the creditors are the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank.
Some of the projects have been completed, like the new high-span bridge over the Demerara River, several roads and stadiums. Others are ongoing even as more are being announced: new and upgraded highways, hospitals, schools, and model villages, to name a few; not forgetting the brand new Silica City being built from scratch.
It has been the default of this and other administrations to label anything new as progress and there is something deeply revealing about this. It is done in a way that drums up excitement in the populace: a commissioning, a launching, a ribbon cutting accompanied by impassioned speeches and often food and drink. And there is absolutely nothing with taking pride in seeing new roads, bridges, schools, recreational facilities and other infrastructure that enhance communities and signal a move to improved living conditions. However, once the excitement fades, one finds that the less glamorous question of maintaining the new infrastructure has not been given the same consideration.
Hence, sometimes mere months later citizens are left to bemoan the damage or destruction of what was built. This needs to change.
Maintenance is not as politically attractive as construction, but it is just as important. In fact, a country that continually builds without maintaining what it already has risks spending more while getting less from its investments. A well-maintained road can serve communities for years; a neglected one deteriorates rapidly. A properly cared-for public building remains useful and welcoming; one allowed to fall into disrepair requires far more money to restore.
Given the scale of investment in infrastructure in this country, there are two things that must be of utmost priority: quality workmanship and maintenance and particularly the latter as everything, no matter how well built, needs upkeep. The country cannot afford to think of development as the completion of a project. Construction is only the beginning of an asset’s useful life.
There is a psychological dimension to maintenance. When citizens see public spaces being neglected, they begin to assume that no one cares. If a broken bench remains broken, and a damaged sidewalk stays unrepaired, then a clogged drain easily becomes the place where more rubbish is dumped. Gradually these things are accepted as normal, encouraging further neglect.
The opposite is also true. A clean, well-maintained public space sends a powerful message. It tells citizens that the space belongs to them and that someone is responsible for ensuring that it remains usable. People are generally more inclined to respect such places.
Progress and modernity cannot be measured solely by what is built, but also by how well it is preserved. A case in point is the city’s markets, which in fact serve families across the country who are both vendors and shoppers. Many of these buildings are historic structures that survived for generations, but are now falling to pieces owing to years of neglect. Their value is not simply commercial; they are part of the social and cultural fabric of the Guyanese community. Plans announced to upgrade them are welcome, but the real test will begin after the contractors leave. Who will ensure that roofs remain sound, plumbing works, waste is properly managed, electrical systems are safe and the surroundings remain clean? Without a stringent maintenance culture, today’s investment morphs into tomorrow’s problem. There is evidence of this all around Guyana, most recently in the state of the MV Barima which sank on July 18, taking scores of lives and affecting hundreds more.
The same principle applies to roads and drainage. Guyana’s geography and climate make regular maintenance particularly important. Heavy rainfall, flooding, intense heat and the country’s low-lying coastal landscape place enormous demands on roads and canals. Waiting until a problem becomes an emergency is always more expensive than addressing it when it is still manageable.
Neither our municipalities, most of which are barely scraping by, nor the Ministry of Public Works currently possess the capacity to keep up with the maintenance that is absolutely necessary. There is, therefore, a dire need for substantial investment in people and in communities to inculcate greater respect for public property, which is sadly lacking.
Part of the problem is that people tend to regard public property as belonging to the government, which is true in a sense since no individual owns a government building, park or road. However, public property belongs to all of us. It is paid for through public resources and exists to serve the public.
There is an economic argument for ensuring that this is understood. Preventive maintenance is invariably cheaper than major rehabilitation. A small leak repaired early costs a fraction of what it would take to fix a collapsed ceiling. A pothole addressed promptly is preferable to a road requiring extensive reconstruction. A malfunctioning pump repaired before it fails completely means there will be no prolonged interruption of service.
The private sector understands this principle. Businesses that depend on vehicles, machinery, buildings and equipment generally know that regular servicing protects their investment. Guyana needs to apply the same thinking to public assets. Every major infrastructure project should come with a realistic, properly funded maintenance plan from the outset, rather than leaving the question to be answered years later when deterioration has already begun.
Schools and communities can help foster this culture. Children should learn that caring for shared spaces is part of citizenship. Community groups can adopt public spaces, while businesses can contribute through sponsorship and corporate social responsibility. None of this absolves the relevant authorities of their responsibilities, but it reinforces the idea that respect for property will redound to its endurance.
It is time for Guyana to become as enthusiastic about maintenance as it is about construction. We should celebrate not only when something is opened, but when it reaches ten, 20 or 30 years old and is still functioning properly, and serving the people for whom it was built. Building creates an asset; maintaining it preserves the investment. A country serious about development must understand that the second is no less important than the first.
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