(Kaieteur News) – Residents of the remote interior community of Chi Chi West, Region Seven were forced to patch holes manually on their local airstrip on Wednesday to ensure safe aircraft landings, despite the government awarding a multi-million-dollar upgrade contract for the facility.

The emergency maintenance was conducted entirely by unpaid local volunteers. Candida Joseph, the Toshao of Chinoweing, confirmed the community’s direct intervention when contacted by this newspaper. “Yes, we went yesterday to patch up the holes,” Toshao Joseph stated. When asked whether the villagers receive any form of stipend, financial support, or maintenance allowance from the State to upkeep the critical transportation link, the Toshao responded firmly “No.”

The reliance on voluntary community labour has raised questions regarding a major infrastructure contract intended for the facility. Reports indicate that a contract totaling $118 million was previously awarded to K.P. Thomas and Sons Contracting Incorporated specifically for the upgrade and rehabilitation of the Chi Chi West Airstrip back in 2018.