The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says it is concerned about the sloth of rehabilitation works on the building that houses the labour and human services ministry and it called for a probe of the High Street building which has been stalled for sometime now.
In a press release, the GPSU said at Cornhill Street, construction has been ongoing for some time, yet progress so far seems inconsistent with the money that has been dispersed and the time that has elapsed. “It is evident from the work completed to date that the obvious enormous expenditure on the building so far is unjustified, does not indicate value for money and represents yet another misuse of public funds,” while the staff continue to work under difficult conditions.
The union says working under such conditions will invariably lessen workers’ morale and impair their ability to perform efficiently and productively, even as they strive diligently to meet the needs of various stakeholders and the public. Further, pronouncements by senior government functionaries suggesting that the building could be identified for other uses have had a demoralising effect on the staff.
At the same time, the GPSU is pleased that Minister of Labour, Dr Nanda Gopaul and Minister of Human Services, Jennifer Webster have also expressed concerns about the effect these conditions have had on their staff and it is impressed with the alacrity with which they have moved to redress the situation. Notwithstanding their efforts to date, the Union calls for the expeditious completion of the renovation works to the building in Cornhill Street so that workers can operate in a healthy environment and to earmark the High Street building for these ministries as Cornhill Street would still be unsuitable for the proper and effective execution of work for two ministries.
It said that the deafening silence of the government on the High Street building speaks volumes of a project gone awry.
“There have been allegations of possible corruption and collusion on this project, given the state of its incompletion, the moneys disbursed so far and the huge cost overrun. The Union, therefore, calls on the Auditor General to carry out a forensic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the award and subsequent execution of the contract for the High Street building, and make such recommendations as are necessary for recouping monies inappropriately disbursed”.
The union also called on the government holding company NICIL to “demonstrate some initiative and commitment in getting the obviously stalled project restarted and completed”.
