It has been several months since it was confirmed that there is asbestos material, which poses a danger to students at the University of Guyana, and the process that would see its eventual removal may begin by the end of next month.
However, the tender process to secure contractors to have the work completed is yet to be initiated, head of the university’s Asbestos Techni-cal Committee, Melvyn Sankies has said.
Sankies recently told Stabroek News that the tendering process needs to be done publicly so as to ensure that it is a democratic process and that the public is fully aware of what is happening.
He said the Ministry of Education had prepared a document which was given to his committee for perusal. This was returned to the ministry with some comments. It is expected that ministry officials will now have a final look at the document, make whatever changes they see fit and then let the tendering process begin.
“So it is really at that point we are at,” Sankies said. The committee had estimated that it would cost some $200 million to get the task completed but Sankies said contractors might submit estimates below that figure.
He feels that it may take four contractors to get the process completed and according to him his committee’s main concern is that the contractors have the capability to get the work completed properly.
While the university had said it may take two months to get the work completed, Sankies is of the opinion that work may go into September since he pointed out that it would be an opportune time to not only remove the asbestos but to effect some necessary repairs.
In the meantime, he said, a task force was set up and it is expected to have the university ready for work to commence by the end of next month. This means that all doors at the institution would be closed to students, staff and members of the public because the removal process poses a danger to health.
The task force is supposed to be headed by the registrar but because that person is on leave the deputy has been performing the duties. It is supposed to be working along with all the faculties and other departments to ensure that the university will be ready by next month. It is expected that those students who will be taking summer classes may do so in other buildings, such as schools, in the university’s environs.
Five staff members of the university have since been trained in the requirements for stabilising hazard areas in order to render them safe.
The training was conducted by Chris Cathro, Occu-pational Health & Safety Officer, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). According to a release from the university, training areas included requirements for use of personal protective equipment to do jobs, construction and use of glove bags, safe removal and preparation for disposal of broken ceiling panels and use of tools and materials.
The asbestos problem was highlighted in the news around the middle of last year when staff members of the Faculty of Social Sciences protested.
Hector Edwards, Head of Business and Management Studies, had told this newspaper that he and his staff members were not prepared to continue working in their building as they were exposed to the asbestos. He had said that the issue had been pending for a number of years. And though repeated efforts were made by concerned faculty members to have the matter addressed, the administration had done nothing. After their protestation, Edwards and his staff members were moved to another building. Following the issue being highlighted in the media the university’s administration had taken samples and sent them to be tested at a laboratory in Canada and it was confirmed that two types of asbestos were present.
