More than a month after it was scheduled for completion the $20.35M squash courts of the Racquet Centre, being built by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), is still incomplete pending the installation of the floors and back walls. Permanent Secretary of the MYCS, Alfred King, in an interview with Stabroek Sport had stated that the squash courts were scheduled to be completed by October 15.
However while the structure of the building has been completed the project is awaiting the arrival of the rubber flooring and the fibre glass back wall. The construction work was given to Romell Jagroop’s General Construct
ion Services, and speaking with Stabroek Sport late last month proprietor Romell Jagroop had indicated that all other aspects of the project had been completed.
Jagroop also confirmed that there was nothing more that his men could do at the site as it is only the floor and back wall that remained to be installed. Jagroop stated that it was the ministry that was responsible for importing th
ese components, so he had to wait until the materials arrived before he could resume construction works.
When Stabroek Sport visited the site yesterday the components had still not been installed.
Stabroek Sport has made several calls to King over the past two weeks to no avail but his secretary always takes a number and promises that he would return the call at the earliest available opportunity.
Contracts for the construction of the various sections of the Racquet Centre had been awarded last year December to three construction companies, including N&R Engineering and Contracting Establishment which was awarded the $4.2 million works to be done on the practice and tennis courts.
The squash courts construction was given to Romell Jagroop’s General Construction Services, while the $4.19M construction for the already completed bleachers was under Fyffe Building and Contracting Services – the same company currently handling the works at the 50m Olympic-size pool in Liliendaal, as well as the still to be completed works at the MCYS Colgrain Swimming Pool. At the signing of the contracts, which was attended by members of the media, Minister of Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony, is reported to have estimated a six-month duration for the completion of the squash courts. According to King the various construction works at the centre, including the courts, began since January.
