The Ministry of Education has taken control of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School construction site from which BK International was booted by the government.
A release from the ministry on Friday noted that on January 7, 2020, it signed an $826.7M contract with BK International Inc. for the construction of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School. The school is intended to benefit 600 children in Yarrowkabra and surrounding communities along the Linden Highway.
However, as of Friday, the ministry said that the school is only 5% completed. BK had listed a series of reasons for the delayed work including the COVID lockdown.
On November 1, 2020, Attorney General Anil Nandlall wrote BK Inter-national Inc. informing the entity that the contract was terminated with immediate effect. He stated that the company had committed a fundamental breach of the terms of the contract and as a result, the Government of Guyana exercised its right to terminate the contract.
In the said letter, the contractor was advised to remove all machinery and equipment from the site.
On November 10, 2020, the Consultant to the project visited the site and observed that the company was still progressing with works despite the contract being terminated.
In a letter dated November 11, 2020, the Consultancy firm, Vikab Engineering Consultants Limited wrote the Managing Director of BK International Inc, Brian Tiwarie informing him that pursuant to Clause 40.5 [Termination] “the contractor is to stop the works immediately, make the site safe and secure and leave the site as soon as reasonably possible.”
In that letter, the Consultants instructed the Contractor to stop works immediately and advised that any work done or materials ordered beyond the date of termination was done at the contractor’s own risk.
Further, on November 19, 2020, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Alfred King wrote B.K International Inc. instructing the company that all work come to a halt with immediate effect and the project site be vacated within twenty-four hours.
The contractor subsequently vacated the site.
