After decades of prevarication and neglect, restoration works on the iconic City Hall structure in Georgetown will finally get underway with the signing of a $780 million contract
The ceremony was held in the compound of City Hall and saw Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall along with the Minister within the ministry, Anand Persaud, signing the contract for the restorative works. The contract has been awarded to Fides Guyana Incorporated.
According to reports, the expected restoration of the historic building is said to be a collaborative effort between the Local Government Ministry, the City Council, and the European Union.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dharamlall stated that the restoration of the building which has been an eyesore for quite some time is one of the first things that President Irfaan Ali sought to have done upon entering office.
“As soon as President Ali took office one of the first things he did at his first cabinet meeting was to establish a ministerial task force to oversee development works on behalf of the government within the city of Georgetown,” he informed.
Dharamlall also noted that since then, the government has played a pivotal role in ensuring that the services that are provided by City Hall are supported by the government.
The minister added that this project should not be seen as something by itself but as part of a greater picture that demonstrates how the government will pursue development in the country. He told the gathering that the project should be completed within its estimated time frame as it is unlikely that the due date for the project will be extended.
Meanwhile, George-town Mayor, Ubraj Narine, said he hoped that the government can continue to work with the council even as the city is currently working with limited resources.
“Our city is a pristine one and I believe if we have our shoulders together, we cannot only restore or sign the contract this afternoon to restore city hall building but we can [be] able to have once again our garden city restored,” he said.
Narine further commended the government for the move as the building has been in its current state for quite some time. He also stated that he was happy to see that the ministry was able to take the venture to another level.
According to the officials, the project is expected to last 18 months with its completion estimated for March 2023.
