KINGSTON - Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson says an amicable solution has been reached with China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) over the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project that will not see the project exceeding the initially proposed US$150 million.
Patterson, during a press conference Saturday August 8 at the Ministry’s headquarters, said that last Tuesday Cabinet provided provisional approval to have the project continue. During the week-long discussion between the government, particularly Public Infrastructure Ministry and CHEC executives, the company had requested an additional US$47 million, claiming that they did not have certain information for the project and that intended changes would increase project cost. However, the government was able to have this money cut in half, while caps were placed on other additional increases. “It (US$47m) has been capped… it cannot exceed more than $23.7m. That is the exact cap. This cap includes all claims to date, all variations, and all design phases now and in future.” Under this revised scope of work, Patterson said that the extension project would now continue. The extension of the 7,500 foot-long runway to 10,800 feet, refurbishment of terminal building, expansion of the car park, relocation of about 12 homes at Timehri North in close proximity to the runway, the provision of navigational equipment, the removal of vendors among other items that make up the entire project. That project, Patterson continued, was expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017. The revised project would also see a commercial mall being constructed close to the airport where vendors currently operating on the street corner would have first preference of taking up spots to conduct their businesses. There had been talk about the project’s feasibility study under the old administration. When questioned, Patterson said that the feasibility study should have been done by the former government, but was unable to say what became of that. Meanwhile, unfavourable soil type and other technical issues forced engineers to take the runway expansion to both northern and southern ends of the location although the 3,500 feet should have headed north only. The minister said he would be meeting with residents soon to tell them about the new developments. (Demerara Waves)
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, at a press briefing on August 8 indicated that The National Task Force, headed by Major General Joe Singh, will host is first meeting on August 13, in the boardroom of the Guyana Forestry Commission.
He explained that the first meeting will see just over fifty invitees in attendance and they will include technical personnel and the Diplomatic Corps.
“Phase one of their reports will be delivered in May 2016 and will comprise short-term measures to the drainage problems. Phase two which is the final report, will be presented in May 2017, and will contain a completed, comprehensive, nation-wide drainage works.”
The National Taskforce was established by the current Administration to oversee the effective functioning of Guyana’s drainage and irrigation system and to make recommendations for its upgrade. Recently the Force was awarded $36M by Cabinet to execute its mandate.
The Task Force is slated to have representatives from various ministries and committees, including the commemoration committee which is handling Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations. The overall objective is to restore Guyana to a land of great attractiveness and prosperity, and one which offers a good life for all its citizens and its visitors.
The Taskforce, headed by Major General Ret’d. Joe Singh, will include Charles Sohan, Malcom Ally, Egbert Carter, Andrew Bishop, Stanley Ming, Joseph Holder, Charles Ceres and Dr. David Singh. Members of the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE), the Private Sector, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) as well as representatives of various ministries.
KINGSTON - Hon. David Patterson, who is responsible for public infrastructure in the country, is extremely pleased with the 2015 budgetary allocations earmarked for his Ministry.
This year’s budget will be presented by Finance Minister Winston Jordan in the National Assembly, Parliament Building tomorrow, August 10, 2015 under the theme “A fresh start to the good life in a green economy.”
“Having reviewed the submissions and being in extensive discussions with the Finance Minister and his team, I would like to say that the Ministry is extremely pleased with the allocations that have been assigned,” the Minister disclosed to reporters during a press conference yesterday morning at the Ministry’s Boardroom.
However, he acknowledged the biggest challenge faced will be the execution of projects/works within the provided timeframe, as Minister Jordan has requested that all major works be completed substantially by year-end.
Immediately after the budget is laid, Minister Patterson will engage the Bankers Association, contractors and all relevant stakeholders to be fully prepared to spring into action following the passage of the national budget.
“I will also be meeting my technical team on Tuesday morning to give them the go ahead to prepare tender documents etc, so as soon as we have a successful passage of the budget we will out to tender and off and running,” he said.
In 2014, the Ministry received a budgetary allocation of GY $17.483 B.
KINGSTON - Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, in a recent exclusive interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), indicated that the major deficiencies that currently plague the Guyana Post Office Corporation will soon be addressed.
Minister Ferguson added that customer service is the backbone of the Post Office as such, she intends on ensuring the staff be adequately trained to provide a better quality of service. Additionally, staff from the Human Resources Department will undergo specialized training, to ensure they possess the requisite skills, which will help them to adapt to the changing environment.
She added that since she assumed office, she had the opportunity of meeting with the Board of Directors and Management, and was able to ascertain the immediate deficiencies, which are to be addressed.
“…the main problem is security…you would recall just before the 2015 Elections, the Post Office was hit by banditry…millions of monies which were to be used to pay old age pension were taken”.
In this regard, Minister Ferguson intends to solicit assistance from the Guyana Police Force for security, specifically where the transporting of large sums of money for the payment of pensions is concerned.
KINGSTON - Hon. David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure has designated Wednesdays to meet members of the public.
Individuals will be able to interact with him between the hours of 10 am and 12 noon and 2 pm to 3 pm.
NOTE: GENERAL OFFICE NUMBERS ARE 231-8127 OR 231-8128.
TIMEHRI - Today, August 6, 2015, the Central Immigration Office, Timehri, grounded an Insel Air carrier, which was scheduled to depart CJIA at o6:45 hrs.
According to reports, the aircraft was not permitted to depart CJIA until arrangements were made to transport eight Indian nationals out of the jurisdiction.
These nationals arrived in Guyana on July 19, 2015 but were refused entry into the country for various immigration reasons and have been in the custody of the Guyana Police Force since then.
The management of CJIA is investigating the incident and regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers booked on the said flight.
KINGSTON - The management of the DHBC noted the recent news on INEWS, (who quoted from GINA) about the 2010 Audit Office’s Report. Whilst issues were extracted and raised from said report, Management is concerned that equal prominence was not given to the DHBC responses to said issues.
The article headline report ‘gross financial irregularities’ and this is misleading and far from the facts. The audit for 2010 was done by the Audit Office and was completed in September 2013.
The issue of the understated inventory arose because the inventory management system is being recorded in Peachtree inventory module did not agree with the accounting software. Unfortunately, the Peachtree software does not allow for changes after two years. This was a recurring problem which will be resolved during the current audit (2013) which is in progress.
However, at all times the correct inventory balance was reported in the Corporation’s Financial Statements. Management has phased out the Peachtree inventory module and is now using Quickbooks for the recording of all transactions including inventory.
The other issues mentioned in the news report were adequately responded to and included in the Management Letter.
TIMEHRI - Arriving passengers at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), on July 31, were greeted to the beats of African drums and sampled African delicacies as Guyanese get ready to observe the 177th anniversary Africans were freed from slavery.
Emancipation Day, a national holiday, is observed on August 1, 2015
The passengers were treated to the pulsating rhythms by the Otishka Group in addition to cassava pone and coconut biscuits. The treats were served by staff from the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and CJIA.
Dursattie Doodnauth, the airport’s acting Chief Executive Officer (ag), said that GTA and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company provided the treats and SIM cards respectively.
“This is a tradition that is done every year, and passengers appreciate the gesture,” she said. “Tourists especially are given the opportunity to experience Guyana’s diverse culture and food.”
KINGSTON - Matthew Cummings, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official, paid a courtesy call on David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure and Annette Ferguson, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure yesterday, July 30, in Hon. Patterson’s Boardroom, Wight’s Lane.
The visit was to encourage the Ministry and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to continue its efforts of strengthening safety and security regulatory oversight of international civil aviation operations.
The US-TSA evaluates all air carriers operating into USA's airspace from foreign stations on a regular basis to ensure that safe and secure practices are maintained.
Mr. Cummings’ visit to the Ministry was a fruitful one as initiatives for cooperation, technical support and training and development were discussed. Chaitrani Heeralall,GCAA’s acting Director General and Abraham Dorris Sammy, GCAA’s Aviation Security Inspector were part of the meeting.
TSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that has authority over the security of the traveling public in the United States of America.
KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) on July 28, 2015 distributed tools to residents of the North and South Ruimveldt communities in an effort to assist them in their clean-up exercises.
The residents of the flood prone communities received wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes and industrial gloves from Neilson McKenzie, the Ministry’s Community Coordinator.
“We have to invest in our people, a mandate I proudly execute on behalf of Minster David Patterson and the Government of Guyana,” he stated.
The objective of distributing these tools, which were donated by Muneshwers Enterprise, is to enable communities to help clear clogged drains and canals - a vital aspect to drainage and irrigation.
Noelle Chow-Chee, chairperson of the Shopping Plaza Community Development Group, said the tools given “will go a far way.” She lamented that most of the tenants affected by flooding have young children; therefore cleaning and clearing the environment is important.
“We come out every Sunday and do our part. At the end of the day, we want the Shopping Plaza to revert to its former glory,” the Chairperson revealed.
Further, the Development Group is currently formulating proposals to build a ball field park and play park, Julie Grimmes-Martin, the Group’s Secretary, added.
The Upper Ruimveldt Empowerment Group was enthused with the additional tools given.
“The North Ruimveldt is a sizeable area to cover so with what was given to us; will complement what we have been using to make sure that our community is cleaned,” he said.
Other communities to benefit from tools include Albouystown, East La Penitence and East Ruimveldt.
Clean up exercise a success story
Mr. McKenzie, who spearheads the exercise, acknowledged that it has been a success story so far.
Currently, he said, works are being carried out simultaneously in Werk-en-Rust, Wortmanville, South Ruimveldt Gardens and Roxanne Burnham Gardens.
“Work in the first two areas involve removing overburden and garbage from the parapets, meanwhile in the latter area, in collaboration with the National Drainage & Irrigation Authority, (NDIA), Ministry of Agriculture, work is being done to clear the Cane View Canal,” he explained. “This section of the canal covers the communities all the way from Meadow Bank and extends to Lilliendaal through the North and South Ruimveldt, Guyhoc and Sophia areas. The intention is to link those canal structures. Working on this section of the Cane View Canal also alleviates the flooding which frequently occurs around the Shopping Plaza area and other sections of South Ruimveldt and North Ruimveldt.”
Clean-up work was previously carried out in the North to South canals in Middleton Street; Campbellville extending to Sheriff Street on both sides of the Railway Line; Kitty which has resulted in flooding woes in the Newtown area being alleviated. With tremendous support from its residents Sophia area is taking shape, as well as, the Albouystown community. All the communities have benefited from improved drainage.
Meanwhile, in Albouystown attention was placed on the alleyways, where a group of persons were provided with tools to clean and clear the alleyheads/alleyways, Mr. McKenzie noted.
“Water from these alleyways and interlocking drains dumps into the Sussex Street Canal which leads into the Demerara River through the Sussex Street Canal. Only emergency works were carried out but the area requires a more thorough desilting,” he added. “Activities then proceeded to the two major canals servicing the East Ruimveldt area, including the one separating the East from West Ruimveldt, with more emphasis placed on the Trench Road Canal. This canal collects water from the East Ruimveldt area and runs it down to the Demerara River. Trench Road’s main purpose is draining water from the East Ruimveldt area.”
Culverts leading to the main drainage canal servicing East and West Ruimveldt were also cleared to improve water run-off.
Generally, communities have been very accommodating and supportive, the Community Coordinator said, however, accessibility to the canals poses a challenge.
Against this backdrop, the Mayor & City Council has been issuing advisory and caution notices to residents who have chosen to dwell on the reserves, constructing fences and other encumbrances close to the canals’ edges.
