Work to restore Georgetown’s City Hall is scheduled to begin tomorrow and Trinidadian contractor Fides Ltd has said Guyanese will make up a large part of its labour force.
In response to questions posed by this newspaper, the company said with the exception of specialist restoration engineers, who possess the technical knowledge to execute the works, the support staff will be Guyanese.
“We envisage that the Guyanese workers will benefit from an exchange of knowledge and technology from our advanced restoration specialists. They can learn the skills and techniques, which they in turn can use in future restoration projects,” the company explained.
Fides said one of its objectives is to train Guyanese workers to work collaboratively with their restoration team. This, it said, will encourage entrepreneurship “in this unique niche in the construction sector.”
The firm’s sister office in Guyana won the $780 million contract to rehabilitate the dilapidated City Hall. According to its website, the company, which has over 12 years of experience in restoration of colonial architecture, boasts experience in restoring buildings to their architectural glory.
Touching on works to be done to the City Hall building, it said it will be using the “adaptive reuse” technique, which is the process of retrofitting old buildings for new uses. The technique, it was explained allows structures to retain their historic integrity while providing for occupants with modern facilities.
“We will begin with the preliminary stage of the project, which consists of mobilisation of the site office and equipment onto the site, placing hoarding around the perimeter of the compound, installation of safety signage and conducting a comprehensive technical assessment of the building,” the company explained.
In the second stage, Fides said it will commence a structural retrofit of the roof and structural columns and beams of building. This process entails replacing decayed timber elements with new timber to match what was originally designed. The engineers will then engage in selective demolition, where they will remove any old material, such as ceilings or wall partitions, which are no longer required.
The external façade will be repaired along the northern and western walls, the company further explained, while noting that there will be works on the roof and the tower of the build simultaneously.
On completion of the northern and western walls, restoration will commence on the southern and eastern façade.
“Additionally while work is occurring on the external part of the building, we will be installing the new ceilings, walls and floors and also installing electrical, plumbing and air conditioning elements inside the building,” the company said.
The final phase entails the external works and landscaping and the installation of decorative elements, such as cast iron railings and any existing medallions that the company would have restored or replicated.
An 18-month timeline has been established for the completion of the project.
The project team will be led by the company’s Structural Engineer Yeimer Suarez. According to Fides, he has worked on numerous Grade One restorations in Cuba and has been the head of all of its restoration projects in Trinidad, which include the restoration of Stollmeyer’s Castle.
“Fides has a full project team which is lending its support for this project. We will utilize our collective strength to bring City Hall back to its former glory,” the company added.
Last week, in an advertisement in Kaieteur News, Fides Guyana Inc announced a number of vacancies, including that of an art restoration specialist, and a civil engineer.
Prepared
Additionally, the company said that it has prepared itself to address challenges should any arise. The work plan, it explained, was crafted out of les-sons learned from previous restoration projects. With this in place, they are hoping to eliminate and minimise any delays during the City Hall restoration.
It was also pointed out that it will utilise as many local materials as possible and would pre-order any other necessary materials long ahead to ensure items will be delivered in time for their installation on the project.
“Procurement has proven to be particularly difficult over the past year and a half, as we continue to grapple with the effects of COVID-19 across the globe. To overcome this hurdle, we intend to utilise as many locally available goods as possible,” the company said while adding that “where this cannot be accomplished, our procurement department will place orders for long lead items as early as we can to ensure that they are delivered in time for their installation.”
The company was registered here in May of 2017 after it observed the numerous historical buildings throughout the capital.
“We knew [it] would eventually need to be restored. Fides has always wanted to share our experience in restoration with the wider Caribbean. It has always been part of our business model to expand and share our expertise with our CARICOM neighbours,” it said.
According to the company, when it saw that Guyana was taking the initiative to restore City Hall, it knew it was an opportunity not to be passed up and at the announcement of the invitation of bids it decided to submit a proposal. “We are very honoured to have been selected by the tenders committee and we will make full use of our human resources and their experience to ensure that this project is delivered on time and to the highest quality.”
The company added that as “the premier restoration contractor in Trinidad, we understand the importance of preservation of culture and heritage for the benefit of future generations to remember their history and take pride in their heritage.”
With over 12 years of experience in the industry, the company stated that its engineers have a wealth of experience and knowledge with attention to detail, ensuring the highest level of quality and accuracy.
According to its profile, the company is headquartered in the Twin Island capital of Port of Spain and has done restorative works on the country’s first Catholic Church in Port of Spain, which was built in 1781.
The company said that it was retained by the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago to engage in restoration works on Whitehall, Mille Fleurs and Stollmeyer’s Castle, all of which form part of the Magnificent Seven historical landmarks in the country. It was also contracted to conduct restoration works on Phase One of the Heritage Library.
The Irfaan Ali-led government signed a contract with the company for the restoration of City Hall, which has been falling apart for decades. The city had been unable to finance major works. Current Mayor Ubraj Narine had launched a restoration fund however not much was raised.
The building has been declared a hazard to public safety and deemed by the Guyana Fire Service and the Chief City Engineer as unsafe for public use.
The European Union is a partner in the restoration project.
The original construction of City Hall was completed in June 1889. It was designed by Fr Ignatius Scoles.
