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HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon said, yesterday, that given the circumstances, he does not believe enough effort has been spent advising the Opposition on how incomprehensible is their act of slashing $1.2 billion allocated for the Specialty Hospital. Speaking at his usual post-Cabinet media briefing, in Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, he recalled that, in 2012, the Opposition had unanimously agreed to the construction of the hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, subsequent to which the Guyana Government entered into contractual obligations, spending approximately $798M on preparatory works.
The HPS said Government is hoping that commonsense would prevail and the decision to cut the provision would be reversed.
“We have some time for commonsense to prevail, for contract law to be given effect and our anticipation is sober thinking would descend on those who were responsible for this incomprehensible decision and that it, indeed, would be corrected in due time,” Luncheon said.
He added: “So, for us, this is merely an opportunity for the act to be reviewed and to be revised before we come to the Appropriation Bill when this matter is deliberated on finally.”
Despite offering a plethora of answers to questions posed, explanations offered and pleadings on the part of Government Ministers, the combined Opposition (A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change) used its one-seat majority in the National Assembly to effect the first budget cut of 2013, to slash every dollar allocated for the construction of the hospital.
PROVIDED EXPLANATIONS
Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran provided explanations in relation to the works completed, thus far, indicating that the contractor hired for the site preparation, G. Bovell and Sons had, to date, been paid some $52.3M for works undertaken, while the contractor for the construction of the hospital, Surendra Engineering of India, had already been paid $746M for its design and survey works undertaken.
Ramsaran had indicated that included in what was done, thus far, are the geotechnical surveys and preliminary site preparation.
He informed that there was some issue with a lack of capacity on the part of the local contractor to undertake the preparation of the site, but this did not hinder the works of the overseas-based company.
Ramsaran said the foreign company has completed its initial phase of works for which it has already been paid and, further, is ready to proceed with the project and begin ordering piles and steel structures.
Meanwhile, the new hospital is intended to allow Guyanese access to quality tertiary health care at an affordable cost. The availability of the hospital could reduce the number of people who travel overseas to receive medical attention, which is often expensive, he said.
Ramsaran said it is anticipated that the building of the state-of-the-art facility will result in a quantum leap, with regards to health care delivery.
The HPS said Government is hoping that commonsense would prevail and the decision to cut the provision would be reversed.
“We have some time for commonsense to prevail, for contract law to be given effect and our anticipation is sober thinking would descend on those who were responsible for this incomprehensible decision and that it, indeed, would be corrected in due time,” Luncheon said.
He added: “So, for us, this is merely an opportunity for the act to be reviewed and to be revised before we come to the Appropriation Bill when this matter is deliberated on finally.”
Despite offering a plethora of answers to questions posed, explanations offered and pleadings on the part of Government Ministers, the combined Opposition (A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change) used its one-seat majority in the National Assembly to effect the first budget cut of 2013, to slash every dollar allocated for the construction of the hospital.
PROVIDED EXPLANATIONS
Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran provided explanations in relation to the works completed, thus far, indicating that the contractor hired for the site preparation, G. Bovell and Sons had, to date, been paid some $52.3M for works undertaken, while the contractor for the construction of the hospital, Surendra Engineering of India, had already been paid $746M for its design and survey works undertaken.
Ramsaran had indicated that included in what was done, thus far, are the geotechnical surveys and preliminary site preparation.
He informed that there was some issue with a lack of capacity on the part of the local contractor to undertake the preparation of the site, but this did not hinder the works of the overseas-based company.
Ramsaran said the foreign company has completed its initial phase of works for which it has already been paid and, further, is ready to proceed with the project and begin ordering piles and steel structures.
Meanwhile, the new hospital is intended to allow Guyanese access to quality tertiary health care at an affordable cost. The availability of the hospital could reduce the number of people who travel overseas to receive medical attention, which is often expensive, he said.
Ramsaran said it is anticipated that the building of the state-of-the-art facility will result in a quantum leap, with regards to health care delivery.
