As the Ministry of Housing and Water inked contracts to the tune of $56.8 billion, Minister Collin Croal yesterday warned contractors that delays will not be tolerated and urged them to begin mobilisation immediately.
“This government has made commitments to the people of Guyana and to applicants who are waiting for their lots. So, therefore, you have to ensure you meet your timelines,” Croal exhorted the contractors gathered at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Liliendaal.
A total of 126 contracts were signed between the ministry and contractors for works to be executed on bridges, road networks and culverts, among others.
This will see works being executed in regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, and Ten. Contracts were signed for Guyana’s first smart city, Silica City, to the tune of $2.1 billion and at Palmyra, and Number 75 and 76 villages in Region Six. Works at Palmyra are pegged at some $9.4 billion.
In Region Four, Croal announced that works to the tune of $21.7 billion will be executed at De Endragt, Hope Block Six, Hope Blocks ‘A’ and ‘B’, Le Ressouvenir and Success, Good Hope Phase Four, Great Diamond Block 3, Great Diamond Block 7, Golden Grove Block 2, and Golden Grove Block 13.
He stated that infrastructure development works will also be carried out in Region Five at Burma Phase Two and Balthyock, Shieldstown, at a sum of $3.3 billion, while further infrastructure development works will be done in Bartica, Region Seven, to the tune of $1.08 billion.
As he addressed junior and senior contractors, Croal told them that he and the senior executives of his ministry will be conducting regular visits to work sites to ensure they are on schedule.
He stated that contractors must do all they can to avoid delays and meet their timelines. With every delay, he informed, there is a domino effect where not only does it cost contractors more to deliver on the project, but also sets property owners back.
“This government has made commitments to the people of Guyana and to applicants who are waiting for their lots. So, therefore, you have to ensure you meet your timelines,” Croal emphasised.
The minister also stated that he has an open-door policy for contractors who wish to meet with him and discuss any issues relating to the execution of the project.
“Should you be confronted with issues and you are not seeing them addressed, my office is open to resolve issues… I don’t have an open door policy when you are tendering but from today you are my business… because we have a mandate to deliver and I have an open door policy in that regard,” he declared.
He explained too, that with works scheduled for Silica City, it will bring them closer to the realisation of the country’s second city. He committed that by 2025, the country will not only hear much more about Silica City, but will see people living there.
The housing sector has seen steady growth in its budgetary allocations and Croal noted that with the increase they are on an express train to execute their mandate and meet their manifesto promise of providing 50,000 house lots by the end of their first term.
“This year we have strategised even more on how to ensure we meet our mandate… Every day the projects team’s mandate is increasing and the volume is also increasing,” he said.
He told contractors to consider that the development that they are a part of is not for just a section of Guyanese, but for all Guyanese from every corner of the 83,000 square miles.
Among the major contracts awarded were $990m and $738m to Anirud Ramcharitar for infrastructural works at Palmyra, Corentyne; $866m to GuyAmerica for infrastructure development work at Golden Grove, Region Four; $836m to H. Nauth and Sons for infrastructure work at Palmyra; $793m for infrastructure development works at Golden Grove, Region Four to Vals Construction; $781m to Aztec Pavers Inc for infrastructure development at Golden Grove, Region Four; $723m to L’Heureuse Construction and Services Inc for infrastructure development at Meten-Meer-Zorg (MMZ), Region Three; $625m to Puran Brothers Disposal Inc for infrastructure works at MMZ and $595m to Eagle Transportation and General Construction Inc also for infrastructure work at MMZ.
Other major contracts include $724m to Khan’s Enterprise for infrastructure works at Leonora, Region Three; $769m to Build Smart Construction and Supplies Inc for infrastructure works at De Endragt, Region Four; $754m to Aronco Service Inc for infrastructure works at LeRessouvenir and Success, Region Four; $800m to Ivor Allen for infrastructure works at LeRessouvenir and Success, Region Four; $759m to Samaroo Investment for infrastructure works at Great Diamond, Region Four; $663m to AJM Enterprise for infrastructure works at Great Diamond, Region Four and $588m to H Nauth for infrastructure works at Great Diamond.
Khemraj Nauth secured a contract for $596m for infrastructure works at Golden Grove, Region Four; Aronco Construction Inc $547m for infrastructure work at Golden Grove; Aika General $570m for infrastructure work at Golden Grove; Japarts Construction $420m for infrastructure works at Golden Grove; $609m to Wazim and Sons Infrastructure for infrastructure work at Palmyra; $789m to K.P. Jagdeo for infrastructure work at Palmyra; $517m to Dennis Tahal Engineering for infrastructure works at Palmyra.
