THE Government has adopted a policy where it intends to favour local contractors in the undertaking of developmental projects.

This announcement was made yesterday by Public Works Minister Robeson Benn who spearheaded the entity’s annual ‘Performance Review.’

CREDITABLE PERFORMANCE
Benn, who delivered remarks to the gathering of the Ministry’s top brass, said the entity had performed creditably over the past year despite the numerous challenges.
He spoke to unavailability of several critical building materials which would have hampered progress on certain projects.

“…we intend to have Guyanese firms do most of the work in developing the national infrastructure”—Robeson Benn

Prices of construction materials and weather was also blamed as challenging factors in 2014,
Benn also bemoaned challenges being encountered with some if the contractors executing Government projects.

As a result, he said that Government has taken a decision at a policy level to work closer with contractors in order to develop their capacity.
According to the minister, Government wants to see the bulk of national infrastructure developmental projects being executed by Guyanese firms.
Among the upsides to this reality, according to Benn, is that the monies earned by the local companies will remain in Guyana and act as a stimulus in certain sections of the economy.
Benn was adamant that Government’s policy is that Guyanese contracting firms must be doing the work that otherwise foreigners would have to do, adding that when Guyanese firms are facilitated, it is better for the nation.
As a result, the fostering of national contractor capacity will be on the front burner, according to Benn.
He said that while Government has experienced challenges in getting some local firms to execute projects in a manner meeting internationally accredited standards, they will continue to “work in relation to improving the learning curve of those contracting firms with respect to undertaking these projects… we have taken leap of faith and we intend to have Guyanese firms do most of work in developing the national infrastructure.”

POOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Coordinator of the Ministry’s Works Services Group, Geoffrey Vaughn, in his report to the various department heads, apprised on some of the challenges experienced particularly on the East Bank Demerara Four Lane Highway project.
Vaughn lamented the shortage of materials; delays in relocation of utilities; procurement of materials; poor project management by the contracting firms; downtime of equipment; shortage of human resources and poor planning among other factors.
Vaughn used the opportunity in his report to provide updates as it relates to some of the major projects the Ministry intends to pursue in 2015.
According to the Work Services Group Coordinator, the Evaluation Report for the selection of contractor for the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Road Project has been completed and was forwarded to the IDB for their no-objection for the award of the contract.
This project is expected to begin first quarter of 2015, Vaughn announced.
As it relates to works to be undertaken on the East Bank Berbice, in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), Vaughn reported that feasibility studies have been completed for works scheduled at Stanleytown to Everton and this project is currently awaiting IDB No Objection to proceed with tendering.
He said too that feasibility studies are still to be undertaken for proposed works at the Canal No.1, and No.2 West Bank Demerara Road.
This he said is expected to be completed by next month.
The feasibility study for proposed road work on the East Bank Demerara Road between Grove and Timehri has been completed and awaiting final submission by Consultant CEMCO/EXP.
He announced too that in the coming year the Ministry intends to undertake an Urban Transport Study.
This, he said “will develop a specific diagnostic of the urban transport situation, problems and trends, and provide recommendations on matters of public transport infrastructure, operations, financing and institutional organisation.”
The Ministry of Public Works in 2014 utilised 99 per cent of its budgetary allocations for its recurrent expenditure and 83 per cent of its allocations for capital works, leading to a sum of $15B of the its allocated $17B being exhausted.
The news was delivered by Permanent Secretary within the Ministry, Balraj Balram, who provided the various Ministry Department Heads and subject Minister, Benn, with a financial analysis of the preceding year.

(By Gary Eleazar)