Contractors on Georgetown's road shoulder and alleyway programmes risk having their contracts terminated if poor workmanship and damage to infrastructure continue.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill issued the warning on Thursday at an urgent meeting with contractors at the Umana Yana, after inspections across the city earlier in the week.
"The manner in which the work is being executed is unacceptable," he said.

He said the Government's programme to improve drainage, road conditions and parking could be undermined if projects were rushed without proper planning and supervision.
"I'm here to tell you this afternoon, if that continues after this afternoon, I'll stop your contract, plain and straight," Edghill said.
Among the concerns were road shoulders left excavated and exposed, which he said become waterlogged and costlier to restore when it rains, and sand and other materials dumped directly onto roadways. He also cited a contractor mixing concrete on Haley Street during Monday's afternoon rush hour, which caused traffic to back up.
Edghill said some contractors had removed established trees, including entire palms, although this was not part of the programme.

"We're not about destroying trees, we are about planting trees," he said. The Government intends to plant trees once the shoulder works are completed.
He said excavation had also damaged Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) pipelines and left residents without water, as contractors failed to account for underground infrastructure before using heavy equipment. Some temporarily blocked broken pipes instead of ensuring repairs were done.

Edghill urged contractors to consult their assigned engineers and technical officers and to inform residents before starting work, including through flyers with contact details for complaints.
He said 482 contracts had been signed for alleyway and road shoulder works in Georgetown, with more than 50 per cent awarded to first-time contractors who may need additional guidance.
First-time contractors must have vendor codes established through the Finance Ministry before payments can be processed, he said. Payments for those who already have codes can follow once completed works are measured and certified.

Contractors raised concerns about materials entering drains, shoulder measurements and payment procedures. One proposed that the ministry produce a bulletin outlining requirements.
Under the programme, earthen shoulders are being excavated and replaced with layers of sand, sifting and crusher run to create shoulders about eight feet wide for parking. The materials are designed to let water penetrate the ground, and Edghill cautioned contractors against casting concrete over them.
He said special protocols apply to works near embassies and international organisations, noting that he had already issued written apologies to two embassies after works began without prior notification.

Accountability would also extend to the engineers and technical officers supervising the projects, he said.
"This programme is a programme that means well for Guyana, and people in the long term will see the benefits. But in the executing of it, we got to do better. We got to do better," Edghill said.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill