WORK on Guyana’s first ever synthetic track is fast pacing as contractors and sub-contractors race to reach their stipulated deadline for the completion of the much needed facility by December 24 this year.
During a site tour of the facility yesterday, Chronicle Sport observed that the perimeter fence to the facility which is located at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara has been completed as well as the laying of the foundation of the actual track which is supposed to be completed with the laying of the synthetic surface by November month end. According to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Steve Ninvalle, the actual laying of the synthetic surface will be completed by November month end and this will be done by a German firm BSW which has constructed many tracks throughout the world including the one at the Berlin Stadium which to date is the largest one in the world.
According to the project’s consultant Patrick Pitt of Building and Engineering Consultancy, Queenstown, The entire project which kick-started in January 2011 after the signing of the contract in December 2010, is 70 percent completed and by December 24, Guyana will have its first ever synthetic track.
Ninvalle informed that work is going a-pace on the facility but he lamented the fact that some of the contractors who were initially hired for the construction of the facility had to be axed by the government for their non-performance.
One such contracting firm was Pioneer Contracting Service which was contracted to do the drains but failed to reach the deadline.
This in part, as well as the unexpected rainy season affected the laying of the synthetic surface on the 400-metre track, which will be of international standards.
Ninvalle said the German company BSW wrote the Ministry informing them that the synthetic surface cannot be laid unless there is good weather in Guyana, meaning sunshine, and his ministry made contact with the National Meteorological Office which confirmed that during the period of mid-September and mid-November, there would be lots of sunshine in Guyana.
This information was passed on to the German company which informed that by the end of November, the synthetic material which according to Ninvalle is already in the country will be laid.
At present, the ticket and VIP booths are 90 percent completed, while the foundation for the VIP stand has been concluded.
The inner field of the facility will boast a football field while patrons will be able to use a fully asphalted car park on entering.
Ninvalle stated categorically that he does not think `It’s fair to the people of Guyana for work to be going at a snail’s pace and hence the termination of some of the contractors and sub-contractors’ services.
At the moment, BK International which was awarded the contract for constructing the VIP and other stands surrounding the facility have already started work while the foundation for the actual track was done by Eagles Contracting Services and was given the green light by the German company that will lay the track and offer training to locals for its maintenance.
The US$5m project is divided into three phases and 12 lots with phase one consisting of one lot, phase two having seven lots and phase three having three lots, giving an overall of 12 sub-projects.
During a site tour of the facility yesterday, Chronicle Sport observed that the perimeter fence to the facility which is located at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara has been completed as well as the laying of the foundation of the actual track which is supposed to be completed with the laying of the synthetic surface by November month end. According to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Steve Ninvalle, the actual laying of the synthetic surface will be completed by November month end and this will be done by a German firm BSW which has constructed many tracks throughout the world including the one at the Berlin Stadium which to date is the largest one in the world.
According to the project’s consultant Patrick Pitt of Building and Engineering Consultancy, Queenstown, The entire project which kick-started in January 2011 after the signing of the contract in December 2010, is 70 percent completed and by December 24, Guyana will have its first ever synthetic track.
Ninvalle informed that work is going a-pace on the facility but he lamented the fact that some of the contractors who were initially hired for the construction of the facility had to be axed by the government for their non-performance.
One such contracting firm was Pioneer Contracting Service which was contracted to do the drains but failed to reach the deadline.
This in part, as well as the unexpected rainy season affected the laying of the synthetic surface on the 400-metre track, which will be of international standards.
Ninvalle said the German company BSW wrote the Ministry informing them that the synthetic surface cannot be laid unless there is good weather in Guyana, meaning sunshine, and his ministry made contact with the National Meteorological Office which confirmed that during the period of mid-September and mid-November, there would be lots of sunshine in Guyana.
This information was passed on to the German company which informed that by the end of November, the synthetic material which according to Ninvalle is already in the country will be laid.
At present, the ticket and VIP booths are 90 percent completed, while the foundation for the VIP stand has been concluded.
The inner field of the facility will boast a football field while patrons will be able to use a fully asphalted car park on entering.
Ninvalle stated categorically that he does not think `It’s fair to the people of Guyana for work to be going at a snail’s pace and hence the termination of some of the contractors and sub-contractors’ services.
At the moment, BK International which was awarded the contract for constructing the VIP and other stands surrounding the facility have already started work while the foundation for the actual track was done by Eagles Contracting Services and was given the green light by the German company that will lay the track and offer training to locals for its maintenance.
The US$5m project is divided into three phases and 12 lots with phase one consisting of one lot, phase two having seven lots and phase three having three lots, giving an overall of 12 sub-projects.
