Modernised Arthur Chung Conference Centre for May 27th reopening

Repairs to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre are 85% completed, on schedule for its reopening on May 27 2018.

The media was today given a tour of the facility and an update on works being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

General Manager of the Conference Centre, Nancomar Ramdial explained that every meeting room was completely modernized with new equipment for better services and additional capacity.

Some of the new installations include PA systems, projectors, electronic screens, video conferencing equipment, air conditioning units and wifi equipment. Additionally, the main conference hall was equipped with a new digital system that can accommodate three different languages spoken simultaneously with video tracking capabilities, 372 new chairs, LED screens, overhead projectors and video matrix switcher.

The Arthur Chung Conference Centre which was commissioned in 2006, was closed on December 1, 2016, for repairs after cracks were noticed and uneven settling of the ground floor which caused floor tiles to shift.

However, Architect attached to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Vaniar Gutierrez pointed out that added to the initial faults identified, there were several other defects discovered during the renovation.

“What we encounter doing the construction works is that the previous floor is that it didn’t have reinforces and plus the compaction works was really poor so the floor sink and we had to remove all the materials were that was there before to do compaction works, test it to make sure –we had two layers; one with sand and one with sand and clay –we  keep the materials in place,” he told media operatives during the tour of the facility.

The floor was rebuilt to six inches and pedestals were placed at different points to ensure there is equal distribution of the load.

Added to the structure is a canopy with steel structures, reinforced glass and installed LED lights, while the underground installation was also redone.

The works at the Conference are being completed by a Chinese company, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes noted that the company was selected by the Chinese government to conduct works, in keeping with an agreement which stipulates China will renovate the building every 10 years.