Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan with the contractors.
Under the Community Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CIIP), seven contracts were signed among which the town of Bartica will be given over $40M for the development of a beach boulevard.
The contracts totalling $97M were signed between Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Communities, Emile Mc Garrel and contractors in the Ministry’s boardroom in Kingston on Wednesday afternoon (July 12, 2017). While the CIIP aims to transform communities, it also serves to create jobs at the grass root level.
Witnessing the signing was Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan.
Contracts valuing $8,937,126 was signed for the construction of the Belladrum Multipurpose Centre in Region Four, $12,434,202 for the rehabilitation of Maria-Johanna Ground, Wakenaan, Essequibo Islands, $10,810,250 for the construction of the Tabatinga Approach in Region Nine and $13,235,882 for the construction of Hosororo Green Space, Mabaruma, Region one.
$7,419,962 was granted for the construction of Sanitary Block at Hosororo Community Ground, Region one and $3,894,000 for the rehabilitation of Arthurville Ground, Wakenaam.
The projects are estimated to be complete in three months, and there is a six-month duration retention.
Mc Garrel noted that though the ministry does not have the power to control the contractors’ employment process, he hopes that they will employ persons in the areas in which they would be operating.
The Permanent Secretary also urged the contractors to complete their projects effective and efficiently within a timely fashion so that the residents within the communities can use before the end of 2017.
The projects will be monitored by the Ministry’s Senior Special Project Officer, Naeem Khan.
CIIP began in 2014 with a focus on improving the aesthetics of, and preserving and maintaining community infrastructure within Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and townships.
The project which is currently run by the Ministry of Communities saw workers, in nine Regions; with Region Eight being the exception, involved in cleaning their surroundings and maintaining community drainage.
