Another $525 million is allocated in the 2023 budget for the establishment of an embassy in neigbhouring Brazil.
The allocation comes just two months after Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd confirmed that the government had scrapped the contract for the construction of the embassy building.
Despite a flawed contract signed by the previous APNU+AFC administration, the People’s Progressive Party Civic government at the start of 2022 had re-committed to completing the construction of the US$4.3 million Embassy in Brazil.
An ambitious timeline to complete the facility by July this year was not met.
Now, more monies have been allocated but there is no indication of a new contract in place.
The project total is listed in the 2023 budget as $978.9 million which will be fully financed by central government.
Prior to 2021, $36.2 million was allocated to the project with another $407.3 million allocated in 2021 and $10.4 million in 2022.
Todd told the News Room that the government was forced to scrap the entire contract because of mounting inconsistencies.
A team from the Ministry visited Brazil last year and during that visit, the contract was brought to an end.
Todd had promised then to revisit the entire process.
Previously, the Foreign Minister said the issues were directly related to the contract and the design submitted.He said the delay in completing the physician structure for the embassy has not hampered cooperation efforts between the two neighbours.
Guyana and Brazil are cooperating on several fronts with talks ongoing and agreements signed to support the regional efforts toward energy and food security.
There are standing bilateral treaties on civil and criminal matters, health and business exchanges, particularly in oil and gas.
Five years have passed since the sod was turned to mark the construction of a permanent building for the Guyana Embassy in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.
At the time of the sod turning in 2017 and over the last five years, little details were revealed on the project, but the News Room was able to confirm that the final cost for construction was set at US$4.3 million.
The previous government had only released information on the sod turning which was done by former Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson.
The contract for construction was done through a partnership between a local firm and another construction firm in Brazil.
