The expansion of the Supplies Chain Management Complex, commonly referred to as the Diamond Bond is 25% completed.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) on Saturday said that a contract was awarded to R. Bassoo and Sons construction company to expand the East Bank Demerara facility with the addition of two bays which would allow for the storage of more drugs and medical supplies. It said that the extra space will be needed since the new procurement system for drugs requires storage capacity for one year’s supply.
Heidi Gillette, Project Manager of R. Bassoo and Sons construction company updated DPI on the scope of work being carried out on the expansion. “What we are doing is a strip foundation reinforced concrete floors hollow block walls, metal sheeting for cladding… we are going to be putting on a special finish to the floors to make certain there is no dusting because you are having pharmaceuticals stored here.”
As of April 13, 2018, Gillette told DPI that the project is about 25 percent complete as they are in the process of completing the steel frame. “We are not having a lot of hiccups at present because we have been getting cooperation with the people who are heading the MMU (Materials Management Unit) here… in terms of moving pharmaceuticals against the wall, which is the western wall.” The expansion project based on the contracted arrangement is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2018.
Over the last few years, the government has faced issues over drug storage capacity and supply chain bottlenecks.
