…re-integration centre in Berbice should have been completed by month end
MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Jennifer Webster, and Minister within the Finance Ministry Bishop Juan Edghill were at Onverwagt on the West Coast Berbice Sunday, for a firsthand look at construction work on the Centre for Re-integration of the Homeless. They both expressed disappointment at how the work is progressing. The facility was expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Minister Webster, under whose ministry the project falls, said that her ministry was recently given the assurance by the contractor that the buildings were going to be completed on time.
The contractor, Cares Engineering and Contracting Services, was awarded the project following the dismissal of several other contracting firms which failed to get the job done to ministry’s satisfaction.
Cares has been awarded the contract to complete the project for just $270M.
Cares was awarded the project on April 28, 2011, after several contractors fell short on their obligation to the project. Those contractors had been awarded various phases of the project.
The minister was visibly upset as they toured the complex and found that several critical works at the facilities were half-finished while others were not even started.
The buildings of the complex are minus some critical works that make it impossible for the facility to be ready at month end.
Among the works to be completed at the weekend were the ceiling of the buildings, painting of the buildings, landscaping, tiling of the floors, construction of stairs, installation of lights and other interior and exterior works. Of major concern also was the absence of a walkway to link the buildings, including the most critical stretch which runs from the entrance of the facility to the main and other buildings.
Minister Webster expressed her intention to meet with both the contractor and the supervising engineer consultant of the project. She said that she does not intend to have the process drag on and a completion date has to be set.
The project was financed by the Venezuela Government with the Government of Guyana providing counterpart funding.
The facility is expected to include male and female dormitories, a kitchen, a multi-purpose centre, gardening facilities and other amenities. Meanwhile, Minister Edghill said that the nature of the programme must be commended. The minister noted that, like Minister Webster, he too is anxious to see the timely completion of the facility. According to him, his ministry has been monitoring the process and is working with the stakeholders to ensure that the facility is utilised to its maximum.