Contracts were signed yesterday for the rehabilitation of seven police stations, which will boast several user-friendly features, including domestic violence rooms.
The contracts for the rehabilitation of the Issano Police Station and the Aishalton Police Station, valued at $17.4 million and $20.5 million, respectively, were awarded to R Wilson Construction Company.
AAV Ragoobeer Construction was awarded contracts totaling $54.5 million for the stations at Suddie and Aurora, while Aruca Investment was awarded contracts valued $31.7 million for the rehabilitation of the stations at Port Kaituma and Mabaruma. A $26.2 million contract was also awarded for the rehabilitation of the Annai Police Station but the contractor did not turn up for the signing.
Project Manager Clement Henry explained that the ministry’s goal is to complete 18 police stations but for this year the focus is on 12.
Henry informed that contracts for five other stations are in an advance stage of the procurement process, which will be completed shortly.
He later explained that the focus is on remodeling the police stations to make them more user-friendly. He said that the ministry wants to improve the layout of some stations as well as to construct user-friendly waiting areas, domestic violence rooms, computer rooms and evidence gathering areas.
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who signed the contracts, said that the public has to understand that the start of many of projects is delayed by the procurement process.
He said that in this regard, the ministry has to “go through very thoroughly and suffer the scrutiny of all the procedures, so that we get it right and I think it will take some time.”
Ramjattan informed that the ministry had several big projects, which include works at the Camp Street Prison (projected at in excess of $600 million), the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison (in excess of $400 million) and the rehabilitation of the senior officers quarters (approximately $160 million).
