The long-defunct veterinary laboratory at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara will soon be rehabilitated and transformed into a modern facility under the Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB)-funded Agricultural Export Diversifi-cation Programme (ADP).
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud had last year spoken about the building of the modern veterinary laboratory along with a new abattoir valued US$1M, as part of government’s efforts to enhance detection and response to diseases that can affect the livestock sector. “The state-of-the-art veterinary lab will help to restore the entire Mon Repos stretch here as the epicentre of agriculture research and to ensure that adequate service to our farmers continues,” he had said at the time. The lab will also allow for the certification for export, as Guyana hopes to become a major exporter of meat products, he had said.
Yesterday, an ad in the Guyana Chronicle invited expressions of interest for the provision of design service for the construction of a Veterinary Diagnostic Labo-ratory, including civil engineering and electromechanical components. The consulting design service is to be carried out in Guyana and in the country of the consultant’s head office. The consultant will report to the Director, Agriculture Sector Develop-ment Unit, based in George-town, the ad said. The expected starting time for the consultancy is July, 2011 and the indicative contract duration is three months.
The turn-key project for the lab will see the design, rehabilitation, installation or relevant equipment and commissioning of the lab. Currently, the compound is overgrown with shrubs and large trees.
The lab was originally constructed in 1980 and functioned for approximately 13 years after which it fell into disuse. The superstructure of the lab was constructed of prefabricated metal sheets on metal frame which met the specifications of ISO 9001. The external structure and walls of the building appear to be in good structural condition but the interior has been vandalized to a great extent leaving the structure devoid of all equipment, interior walls, cupboards, windows, doors and air conditioning etc, according to a description given by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The rehabilitation of the lab is being undertaken under Component 3 of the ADP. The Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) of the Ministry of Agriculture is charged with the responsibility for planning, coordinating and monitoring of this Project.
According to the description given, there is one access road to the site; most of this road is surfaced except for the final stretch of approximately 250m which is earthen. The earthen section is difficult to traverse whenever it rains. There is a timber access bridge into the lab compound which has deteriorated.
Tender documents, outside the scope of this turn-key project, have been prepared and will be shortly issued, for the rehabilitation of this earthen road and the construction of a new concrete bridge. It is the intention of the employer for this road and bridge to be completed or be passable before the commencement of this project for the lab.
Persaud had told the National Assembly last year that the revamped laboratory that will serve the diagnostic needs of both the government regulatory system and the private sector. “This laboratory is envisaged to become the best equipped and functional of its kind in the Caribbean and is already being looked at to become a reference facility for the Caribbean region,” he had said.
