–contractors warned about substandard works

FORTY contracts valued at $1.1 billion in capital works to be done under the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)’s 2020 budget were signed on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

The 40 contracts are to be distributed among 21 contractors and represent works to be executed across Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Five(Mahaica-Berbice); and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). The works include upgrades to roads and bridges, installation of water and electricity distribution networks, and the provision of LED streetlights.

The contracts were signed by CH&PA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sherwayne Greaves.
Ministers of Housing and Water, Colin Croal and Susan Rodrigues warned the contractors that there will be a zero-tolerance approach to untimely and substandard works. Minister Croal highlighted that the public signing ceremony is part of the agency’s efforts to ensure transparency and accountability of the works to be executed.
“Timely execution of contract for works must be at the forefront; contractors must give value for money. Necessary actions will be taken on you if you don’t,” Minister Croal informed the contractors.

The minister said that emphasis will be placed on monitoring and evaluation to ensure that citizens are given value for money.
“We will not be accepting substandard work; we will hold you accountable. Let us not look at cutting corners; if the project says half-inch steel, don’t let it be quarter-inch steel; let it be half-inch steel. Integrity and transparency must be a hallmark of contractors who plan to execute works under the CH&PA,” Minister Croal said.
He noted that the works are all a part of the ministry’s plans to ensure that when persons are allocated house lots, vital infrastructure is already put in place. He also highlighted that the investment in housing projects represents a direct injection of capital that will stimulate the economy.

Some of the communities covered include Diamond, Eccles, Prospect, and Providence on the East Bank of Demerara; Cummings Lodge and Annandale on the East Coast of Demerara; La Parfaite Harmonie, on the West Bank of Demerara; Zeelugt, on the West Coast of Demerara; and the CH&PA Housing Schemes.
Minister Rodrgues during her remarks at the signing ceremony encouraged the contractors to place emphasis on utilising materials from local manufacturers and local labour.
“I urge you to support and engage local manufacturers as much as possible to stimulate growth in the economy; same with the people you employ. The employment opportunities you will create ties in with the bigger picture of job-creation and economic growth,” Minister Rodrigues said.

She also urged the contractors to be cognisant of the role they are playing in ensuring that the ministry’s mandate to bring affordable and comfortable housing to the citizens of Guyana.
“You have a lot going on, and it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of the work you are doing, but you must be conscious that you are helping to build communities; when you recognise the significance of the work you are doing, that’s when you will feel the responsibility to deliver quality work in a timely manner,” the minister said.
The contracts range in size, from one for $129M, which was awarded to GuyAmerica Construction Inc. for road upgrades in Diamond; to another for $2.567M, which was awarded to Annirud Ramcharitar for doing access roads in Williamsburg, on the Corentyne.

Aside from the upgrading of roads in Diamond, GuyAmerica was also awarded a $20M contract to upgrade the La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara access road, and a $12.2M contract to upgrade the main access road in Providence.
The second largest bulk of contracts went to Bardon Construction, in the sum of $88M to do road upgrades from “Little [Diamond] to Great Diamond”; $23M for road upgrades at La Parfaite Harmonie; and $19M for the “installation of a pure-water distribution network” at Prospect.

Fix It Depot was awarded $108.685 for two contracts, while three contracts totalling $85 million were awarded to Annirud Ramcharitar; four totalling $65.445 million went to Eron Lall; and two totalling $56.105 million went to Shereaz Bacchus.
The contracts were awarded by either the CH&PA tender board, or passed through the National Procurement and Tender Board Administration (NPTAB). Minister Croal commended the CH&PA for having completed the awarding of its capital works programme in such a timely manner.

Though the contract signings marked the allocation of all of the works to be completed under the CH&PA, the minister noted that there are more contracts to be allocated under the ministry, and another batch is expected to be signed within the next two weeks.