§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the benefit to Gambia from the reconstruction of the airport runway in 1963 by means of a special grant made by Her Majesty's Government, what progress has been made with the construction of an east-west trunk road.
§ Mr. SandysExcept in so far as the construction of this road involves expenditure from Colonial Development and Welfare funds this is a matter within the exclusive responsibility of the Gambia Government. Sixty-two miles of bitumen road and 30 miles of laterite road have been built to connect Brikama and Mansa Konko. The construction of 52 miles of laterite road between Georgetown and Basse is almost complete. It has recently been decided to construct the intermediate section of the trunk road on the south bank rather than on the north bank. An application for a grant from Colonial Development and Welfare Funds for the survey of this route has now been received and is being considered.