Paved Road Coming to Entrance of Guinea Grass Village

Residents of Guinea Grass are up in arms over the deplorable road conditions in the village and clamoring for repairs. For years, the main road through the community has needed serious refurbishment. Today, Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai told the media that the cries of the villagers have been heard and G.O.B. has recently awarded a contract to a company in Spanish Lookout to pave the main road through the village. 

Jose Abelardo Mai

Jose Abelardo Mai, Area Representative, Orange Walk South

“I hear and I feel for the people of Guinea Grass. I have been the area for two years. And during the time that I have been the area rep, we have given maintenance to that road for about ten times. And I will say this, throwing good money behind bad money because that road has been abandoned for thirteen long years under the previous government. It is when we came in that we took it seriously. I will say to you though that already a contract has been issued to a company that will do one point three miles entering the village and existing the village, the entire length of the village. That section will be paved now. We hope to start that in the next few weeks. That contract has been awarded to a company out of Spanish Lookout, I believe. So, while the criticism is strong, I don’t agree with it but I understand the complaints. I’ve been on that road a lot, I’ve campaigned that road, so I know the situation. And that is the reason why the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance said that we have to do something about that road, and we will pave that road in the very near future. But to begin with, we have another contract right now which is to upgrade all the roads that are in bad conditions.”

According to Minister Mai, the contract focuses on upgrading farm roads. Works are already underway on the road from San Carlos to San Felipe and from San Felipe into Hillbank. These roads lead to thousands of acres of grain farms in these communities.