THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, on Friday, signed 10 contracts valued over $650 million for infrastructural works across several regions.
During a simple ceremony at the ministry’s boardroom, subject minister Nigel Dharamlall said the projects will benefit citizens and open doors for small and medium scale contractors.
“One of the things that our Government has been adamant in ensuring is that we share a lot of the work, quite unlike what has happened in the past, when just a handful of people were part of the contractor’s database. “So now, we are trying to get as many persons as possible involved; in that way we believe too that the resources will be spread around and when the resources are spread around the corresponding impact on employment is going to be enhanced.”
The Ministry’s Engineering and Sanitation units will be monitoring the projects to ensure value for money and a timely completion.
Minister Dharamlall said the ministry will soon sign more contracts to start developmental works to meet the needs of residents and the wider country.

Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry, Anand Persaud, said the Government will hold contractors accountable to ensure quality work is delivered.
“At a Government level, we are very particular about the quality of work that we expect from you. We have made mention in the past not only from this ministry but from Ministry of Public Works, shady works contractors will be blacklisted,” he said.
The contracts included the rehabilitation of five NDC buildings at Leguan ($11.9 million) in Region Three; Black Bush Polder ($5.3 million) in Region Six; Canefield/Enterprise ($5.4 million) in Region Six, No. 52/74 Village ($4 million) in Region Six and Aberdeen Zorg-en-Vlugt ($8 million) in Region Two. Under the Solid Waste Management Programme, contracts were inked for the operation of Esplanade Park ($48.3 million) in Region Six; Byderabo ($38.5 million) in Region Seven and the Haags Bosch Municipal Landfill Site. Internal access roads at Haags Bosch-Phase III will also be rehabilitated at a cost of $120 million, and phase II of a leachate treatment facility there at a cost of $78.7 million. It also includes the operation services at the Haags Bosch Landfill for $329.4 million.  The ministry was allocated $1.1 billion in the 2021 national budget to tackle the country’s refuse problem. (DPI)