…$199.7 million cleared for year for rental.

SIX of the United Nations (UN) Agencies which are in Guyana will soon be housed at the Eddie Grant Business Centre which is located in Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

The FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, PAHO, UNAID and IOM which are situated at separate locations will soon be moved to one location where over 200 persons will be operating from.
Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Irfaan Ali sought to enquire about the impending shift during the consideration of the proposed budget for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

In response to questions from Ali, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said the consolidation of the UN agencies into one facility was provided for in the 2019 budget to the tune of $199.7 million a year for rental.
Minister Patterson defended the impending shift, noting that Government is obligated to provide facilities for those agencies and now that their operations are expanding, the UN made a request to have one consolidated complex.

According to the minister, three of the agencies were occupying buildings owned by the Government but $81 million was the yearly rental for the other three UN organisations.
“The average cost for the new facility will be about $16.7 million a month,” said Ali as he continued to question Government’s decision. Minister Patterson however contended that the rental of the new facility is indeed value for money because the agencies will be vacating six buildings and will be moving into one facility with adequate space.

“It will help us to save more than enough…and selection of the facility was based on the recommendation of the UN and the cost and security,” said the minister, adding that the UN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had selected candidates which were inspected by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the UN chief of security. Minister Patterson said although the building was selected Government has not signed an agreement as yet.