RECONSTRUCTION works have commenced on the historical Umana Yana which was completely demolished by a fire last year, after a $7.1M contract for development of the foundation and construction of the floor was awarded to R. P. Percival Agency by the Public Infrastructure Ministry.This was confirmed by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who disclosed yesterday that the completion date for this phase of the project is December 31, while the rebuilt structure is scheduled to be completed by April 2016.
According to Patterson, manual work has officially commenced, since he witnessed this on Wednesday last at the Main Street location. The new structure is expected to have a floor design elevated 12 inches higher than the previous one while the space between the floor and the roof will also be increased to allow for the freer passage of Atlantic air which sweeps in from the nearby ocean.
Additionally, a $40M contract was awarded to the Wai-Wai brothers and sisters of Masekenari for labour cost and materials, which will be sourced from Deep South Rupununi, given that this is the only place some of the needed materials are available. Additional materials will be obtained from St Cuthbert’s Mission in Region 4 and Moraikobai in Region 5.
Patterson said that work in this regard has already commenced and 80 per cent of the leaves needed for the roof have already been harvested and dried and are currently awaiting delivery to Georgetown.
However, although the $40M facilitates the cost for materials and workmanship, electrical works and painting of the structure will not be catered for in this arrangement. Rather, the minister explained that this aspect of the project will be taken to tender before any work is done in this regard.
Meanwhile, in keeping with the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs renewable energy agenda, the option of sourcing renewable energy for all electrical requirements will be explored.
The aim of both the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, is to have this historic monument completed in time for Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations next year.
The conical palm thatched hut (benab) which was erected for the Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference in Guyana in August 1972, was completely destroyed by a fire of electrical origin late last year. Its reconstruction forms part of the contribution of the Indigenous Affairs Ministry to Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebration, along with the erection of totem poles in every region in the country.