THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Thursday awarded in excess of $62M in contracts for de-silting and de-bushing operations through the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme.
In keeping with the Regional Solid Waste Management project which is still in its embryonic stage, Netcom Computer City has been awarded a contract for the procurement of laboratory equipment for the Haags Bosch Landfill for the amount of US$112,910.
The laboratory equipment is designated to be used at the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill, Lusignan Landfill and Le Repentir Landfill, as well as other landfills in the administrative regions.
According to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, the portable equipment will perform quick analyses of the environment by monitoring water and air quality. This is in keeping with standards stipulated in the Environmental Permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.
The minister said that the Haags Bosch Landfill project will be replicated in other regions. He assured that the ministry has already begun looking into this initiative.
SEVEN PRIORITY CANALS
The Downer Street and Young Street contracts were awarded to STP Investment for 4,400 yards and 880 years respectively, to the tune of $3.6M and $1.688M respectively.
Similar contracts were awarded to S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies & Construction Services for Church Street and Lamaha Street Canals for 2,200 yards and 3,500 yards, respectively to the sums of $6.520M and $7.1M respectively.
Additionally, contracts were awarded to Hemraj Gharbaran for the Princes Street canal with a scope length of the canal at 3,500 yards for the sum of $6.7M; the Irvin Street canal with 800 yards, awarded to Narindra Latchman for the sum of $1.04M, and the Sussex Street canal contract awarded to Collin Talbot Contracting for $7.76M.
Works to be completed include the de-weeding and de-silting of the canals, along with the mandate of carting away extracted materials during weeding or de-silting within a given time as defined by the contract.
Speaking at the event, Whittaker urged the awardees of the contracts to ensure that quality work is delivered. Whittaker said that once the process is completed, “we must all be better off” in order to ensure that the systems which the Dutch had initially put in place are functioning effectively.
The minister gave the assurance that the ministry will be monitoring the works done by the contractors in order to ensure quality and support efforts wherever needed.
He further noted that despite negative comments from some that there has been tardiness in the implementation of the project, “planning is integral to the success of any project.” Whittaker recalled the setting up of the technical committee, in relation to the execution of the project, which included several Government agencies and technical staff.
The de-silting of the seven canals was advertised over time in the local press and a total of 16 bids were submitted. These bids were processed and recommendations were made to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
LE REPENTIR PROJECT
The Ministry also awarded $5.828 to contractor Ivor Allen as part of the first component of the Le Repentir restoration project.
The vigorous and expansive project will focus on the restoration of the cemetery in its entirety. The cemetery is bordered by Princes Street to the North, Sussex Street to the South, St. Stephen Street to the West, and Cemetery Road to the East.
Also included in the project is the area of the cemetery east of Cemetery Road.
In olden days, the cemetery was easily accessible to the general public, and even facilitated a few school children who favoured the grounds for games of merriment but years of neglect has led into to become almost a marshland consumed with vegetation, flooding and silted drains.
The works to be conducted include de-bushing of the target zone, which will later be followed by de-silting of the internal drainage system, which at this point is not visible because of vegetation and silting.
The internal drainage system of the cemetery is integral since it flows directly into the Sussex Street Canal. A later aspect of the project will see the roads in the cemetery being made accessible to facilitate commuters.
The Local Government Minister had stressed that the completion of the project is only the first component of the beautification process. He stated that there ought to be effective and committed measures of ensuring the sustainability of the works that would have been concluded.
He mentioned that the City Council of Georgetown will be tasked with ensuring that the works conducted are maintained.
Whittaker had noted, however, that the citizens of the communities ought to do their part to ensure that the projects are not only effective but sustainable.
The invitation to bid for contracting of the project was advertised in early July across print media, and was based on competitive bidding from interested entities. The Coordinator said that the work will move progressively in the latter part of July. The target completion date for the project has been set for December 2014.
The ‘Cleanup Guyana’ Project is a joint initiative with the involvement of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Ministry of Finance, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Guyana Tourism Authority, and the City Hall administration.
(By Derwayne Wills)