By Tajeram Mohabir

THE Lethem Industrial Estate project, which was scheduled for completion next year, is likely to be reviewed, with Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin contending that while the idea was a good one it was poorly conceived.Actual work started on the $1 billion project in 2014, and to date, Phase 1, which included construction of a main road and culverts, has been completed.
Phase 11 will see the building of a few cross streets, several more culverts and a fence for the facility.
The industrial estate has been listed as having three phases, and according to the minister, from all that he has seen, major weaknesses are evident.
“I have to be honest and say to you that I have not inherited a project that I consider to be well conceived and properly thought out; and this is causing me some concern, because I believe that when you embark on a project of that magnitude – it is a billion dollar project – it needs to be well thought out because you don’t get a billion dollars passing round very often,” he said
Before work began, the area where the estate now sits was an empty plot of land. The former administration surveyed and earmarked the space for the construction of the estate.

Haphazard
Ideally, an industrial site is designed to encourage, promote and facilitate a hive of business activities where it is built. And from the look of things, the Minister of Business said the Lethem project appears to have been done haphazardly.
“I haven’t seen the studies that would inform us about the activities that are most suited for that location and from what I am seeing, the intention is to divide the estate into equal plots and lease those plots.
“I am wondering why all the plots have to be the same size, because surely some sectors and different types of activities have different requirements and the size of their operation are not the same,” he pointed out.
This aside, he said, from the design, no effort was made to cater for small businesses.
“I am not convinced that this particular project has benefited from best practices leading up to where we are now,” he said, pointing out that the concept of an industrial estate is not anything new and the one under construction does not appear to benefit from the experience, knowledge and expertise from the vast amount of information in the public domain.
“I am not sure that that knowledge, experience and expertise and modern thinking have even crossed the minds of those who conceived that particular project and therefore I think that we are in danger in the year 2016 developing, completing and cutting the ribbon on a 1960s or 1970s industrial estate,” Mr Gaskin lamented, but quickly said that this will not happen.

Squander
He added: “I understand that we cannot afford the most modern industrial estate, but I am not comfortable with what we are building. It is squandering taxpayers’ money.
“I believe that if we see it as developing this country, and industries, we need to look at the latest in design, layout and development of industrial estates and try to apply some of that thinking to what we are doing. I would want to have this project reviewed, perhaps with a view to developing something that actually will serve the purpose that it was intended.”
Already, a considerable sum has been spent on the project and at this stage, Mr Gaskin said there will be no turning back. To date, some $180 million has been spent, and a considerable sum is still to be spent.
“I intend to ensure that our Guyanese taxpayers and Guyanese businesses get value for that money whenever it is spent,” the minister said, while pointing out that even with a review, he does not foresee any major delay in completion of the project.
Given that the area is not burdened by heavy traffic and workers do not have to remove power lines and pipes from other utilities, the building of the roads and culverts is less a complex operation, unlike if [it] were being done in Georgetown.