In Guyana, remote dirt road seen as future economic lifeline

Through the vast interior of Guyana, a historic red dirt road known as “The Trail” winds through rainforest, plains and hills, linking the capital Georgetown to Lethem in the south on the border with Brazil.

Now, that nearly 500-kilometer (310-mile) link is being upgraded into a major highway, and authorities in the South American country — which possesses the world’s largest oil reserves per capita — hope the project will help transform its economy.

They also hope it can help open up Essequibo, the disputed oil-rich region administered by Guyana for decades but claimed by neighboring Venezuela.

The renovation is no small undertaking for Guyana, which goes to the polls to elect new leaders on Monday. It will cost almost $1 billion to build the four sections of highway and about 50 bridg