Infrastructure boom opens doors for small and first-time contractors
Guyana’s ongoing infrastructure push is creating space for a wave of new and small contractors, as the government moves to widen public participation in national development.
On the Starting Point podcast, Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill explained that the PPP/C Administration has been building a fresh pool of contractors who are now taking on community-level projects. Many of them, he noted, are women benefiting from a government initiative aimed at improving financial independence and reducing gender gaps in the workforce.
According to the minister, roughly 98 percent of these individuals secured infrastructure jobs for the first time under the government’s fixed-rate road contracts. He said the administration has deliberately shaped an environment where newcomers can work alongside senior engineers and technical staff to build skills and experience.
The effort forms part of a wider plan to expand the contractor base and ensure more Guyanese share in the economic momentum. Since the PPP/C returned to office in 2020, more than 2,000 new contractors have entered the sector.
The model also encourages transparency and community involvement, allowing residents to recommend contractors from their own areas. This approach, officials say, boosts accountability and keeps economic benefits within communities.
Government sees these developments as key to strengthening local capacity and ensuring communities across the country receive public services in an equitable way.
