KINGSTON - Stabroek Market may finally be getting its much needed repairs as demolition and restoration works are slated to commence on the age-old structure shortly, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) are expected to work together in the restoration efforts. Recently, the Minister told the media that the restoration works will be done in an effort to retain the uniqueness of the capital city.
Patterson emphasised that Stabroek Market is a unique structure and though it may cost less to build a market bearing no semblance of what was there before, “we have to maintain our history and our heritage as it is handed down to us. The restoration part is what will be expensive.”
He said another structure could be erected to serve the same purpose but it “will not be as elegant or uniquely Guyanese.”
According to the Minister, the fixing of the Stabroek Market will be done in phases. “We have to be honest, right now it’s (Stabroek Market) not in its best shape,” the Minister said acknowledging that vendors and scores of shoppers are currently exposed to leaks when it rains.
On March 21 last, a stall aback the Stabroek Market wharf was smashed as a part of the market roof came crashing down. The roof had been in a dilapidated state for some years.
In the past, countless calls were made to the previous administration for the rehabilitation of the wharf which continues to fall apart. On one occasion, heavy winds had caused extensive damage to the already badly deteriorated vending area of the wharf.
That incident created chaos among vendors and those who ventured into that section of the market to conduct business.
Also on June 5, 2013 a section of the wharf had collapsed, injuring a well-known market handyman. The man, Charles Ferdinand, had sustained a huge gash to the head and was hospitalized for over 48 hours.
The market operators noted that persons are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis, in an effort to ply their trade by using that section of the market.
The dilapidated wharf attracts a crowd daily and on certain days, people from farming communities outside of Georgetown, come to offload their goods. Customers and retailers flock the unstable area to make cheaper purchases directly from the farmers.
The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is responsible for the upkeep of the market facility, but have for years been crying broke.
At the recent press conference, however, the recently appointed Minister spoke of a four -phase project which will result in the relocation of vendors who ply their trade in the market.
“People will have to understand and I think we keep underestimating the cooperation and the will of our people to improve their livelihood.” The Public Infrastructure Minister expressed confidence in vendors being willing to relocate for four weeks.
“I’m sure if we say to the merchants and vendors in Stabroek Market that we need your cooperation, we need to relocate you temporarily for four weeks to change the roof, I’m sure even though it may affect their livelihood temporarily, they will cooperate.”
Deputy City Mayor, Patricia Chase-Greene said that they already have the estimate for repairs and works will commence shortly. “There are arrangements in place to have vendors relocated while the work is done in phases,” she reiterated.
KINGSTON - Honourable Annette Ferguson, the Minister with responsibility for aviation in Guyana, is currently heading a delegation at the 15th Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) Board of Directors meeting in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The meeting commenced today July 1, 2015 and will conclude on Friday, July 3, 2015.
Minister Ferguson is accompanied by Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) Director General (ag), Chaitrani Heeralal and its General Counsel Amanza Walton-Desir.
The implications of Guyana’s compliance to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regulations and the provision of technical assistance to enhance aviation practices, safety and security are among the issues on the meeting’s agenda.
Guyana is also working to achieve Category One rating under the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme by 2016.
Category One means that air carriers from the assessed country may initiate or continue service to the United States in a normal manner and take part in reciprocal code-share arrangements with U.S. carriers. For Guyana, this would mean that Guyanese operators would be able to fly direct to the US, among other benefits.
KINGSTON - Guyanese can now fly from Georgetown direct to Orlando, Florida, compliments of Surinam Airways. The Airline is scheduled to make its inaugural non-stop flight to the US city on July 2, 2015 from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
The Orlando bound flight should depart CJIA tomorrow at 10:30hrs and return on Friday, July 3 at 18:00hrs. It will operate once weekly for three months, after which an evaluation of the operation will be done to ascertain the way forward, the Airline’s Local Manager Rudi Westerdorg said.
Currently, Surinam Airways offers two nonstop flights - from Georgetown to Miami – twice weekly since the airline resumed operations on April 2, 2012.
The airline’s official is buoyant of the success of the new route since feasibility studies signal Guyanese travelers are desirous of visiting the US city at an affordable price.
“We work closely with travel agents, so we have an idea of the travelers’ needs,” said Rudi Westerdorg.
Great news for the aviation sector
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson stated that the introduction of the new route is great and exciting news. He added, “This initiative is a clear indication of the confidence Surinam Airways has in the volume of passengers’ traffic in Guyana, and by extension our aviation sector.”
Minister Patterson also stated the he was impressed with CJIA’s management strategy to attract other airlines to ply the GEO route.
He noted that Guyana is truly the gateway to many other countries, and its potential in the aviation sector is boundless. To this end, he intends to actively engage CJIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramesh Ghir, on the untapped opportunities available to explore.
KINGSTON - River and sea transportation facilities will be improved for better services to the travelling public, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson told the National Assembly during Friday’s sitting.
Wharves and stellings are to be rehabilitated, since these facilities are key to enhancing competitiveness, both locally and internationally; in addition to fostering economic growth, supporting value added production, while facilitating better access to markets.
The procurement of a new ferry for the North West district, and the return of a similar service across the Berbice River are being actively pursued, Minister Patterson also revealed. And giving an update on the construction of the paved road from Lethem to Linden, he stated, “Within this government’s first five years we intend to make concrete steps to making this a realisation,” as the hinterland and coastland must be linked.
There are also plans to reintroduce large buses on long routes; enforce weight limits and speed on heavy-duty vehicles; the development of a road transportation policy, and the establishment of a transportation authority for the coordination of public transport functions which are diffused across the country, Minister Patterson further reported.
Announcing other strategic measures, the minister said that all sea and riverain defence works will now be consolidated under the ministry’s Coastal Protection Unit. The Marine Administration Department will, over the next five years, be pursuing deep water projects with international stakeholders; dredging operations will recommence with the acquisition of a new dredger to keep key waterways clear; and safety features on boats will be enhanced with better training for captains and crews.
All of the aforementioned will be part of a Port Master Plan, which is being drafted and will be implemented in a phased manner, “culminating in the infrastructure development, effective dredging and maintenance of all our ports, harbours and rivers on which national and international traffic depends”.
Continuing on plans for his sector, Minister Patterson emphasised that the vulnerability of the current Demerara River Bridge has prompted the government to pursue the drafting of plans to bridge the river at another point. He also highlighted that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion plan has been revised, and only 15 homes may have to be relocated, because of their proximity to the airport. Assistance will be provided to those who will have to remove from the current locale.
It is Government’s intention that during its first term, the CJIA obtains Category 1 rating, in keeping with international aviation standards.
In terms of energy, government will increase monitoring of those who supply various fuels, and will advocate for the installation of a Wind Farms to supply energy to the national grid, the minister said. He added that a study will commence soon to examine the uses of this alternative power source on the Essequibo Coast.
The review of the Amaila Falls Hydro-power project is now in progress, and if it does not continue in its current form, available options will be examined for alternative uses of the road to the proposed project site.
Finally, Minister Patterson reported that an upgrading of the Guyana Power and Light Company and its management structure will be undertaken to take advantage of cheaper electricity supplies, as well as measures to reduce power losses.
KINGSTON - The terms of reference of the Cabinet-approved multi-disciplinary task force, established to present a holistic plan for the further restoration and renewal of Georgetown, have been expanded to address more areas.
The task force is now expected to tackle drainage, traffic management, and urban rehabilitation of all the towns and urban centres in Guyana.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, addressing a press conference at the ministry’s Kingston office on June 27 explained that the President and Cabinet, in recognition that flooding is not unique to the City, had tasked him with arriving at a holistic plan to address the issues.
To this end, the minister explained that he is in the process of augmenting the task force’s membership and terms of reference to address other flood prone areas including those the administration will be very soon seeking to develop into towns. These are Bartica, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Lethem.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the restoration and renewal of Georgetown, Minister Patterson explained that the ministry will be giving itself until 2020 to have phase one of this plan completed.
He said that the goal is to preserve the uniqueness of Georgetown, including the Stabroek market which will be addressed under the plan. Like the City, the market’s restoration will be done in phases.
KINGSTON - A team from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) headed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lionel Wordsworth will assess the structural defect on the Sussex Street sluice that is causing inflow from the Demerara River, and which recently resulted in flooding to sections of Albouystown.
Addressing the media at a press conference at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Kingston on June 27, Wordsworth explained that following the assessment, the NDIA will be better informed and will immediately commence mobilising, with a view of putting in place, if not permanently at least temporary measures to stop the inflow of water.
Also at the press conference were Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, Head, Work Services Group (WSG) Geoffrey Vaughn, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Walter Willis, Deputy Mayor Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green and Community Coordinator, Neilson McKenzie.
McKenzie has been tasked by the Minister of Public Infrastructure to work with Albouystown residents on a permanent solution to flooding and blockage in the community. He explained that his intention is to meet with the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and other groups within the community with a view of arriving at an understanding of the problem and to together, work out, step by step, a “package of measures” aimed at alleviating flooding in the community.
Emergency works
Meanwhile, Minister Patterson provided an update on the emergency flood reduction works around the city, an intervention for which Cabinet recently released $75M, and which covered the desilting and land clearing of drainage structures as a temporary solution to reducing flooding in the city.
Minister Patterson explained that the cleaning of Caneview Avenue going east, and the Cummings Street and Downer Canals is expected to be completed next week.
The ministry had also facilitated a clean-up group, comprising members from Sophia, Nabaclis and Canal Number One, to address the cleaning of alleyways. According to Minister Patterson this crew has successfully cleaned alleyways in Durban Street, David Street, Albouystown, around the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Cummings Street, Middle Street and Thomas Street, and between Church and Lamaha Streets.
He said however, that there are still some areas targeted under the exercise that are to be cleaned, but that the ministry has been facing some challenges in getting its machines in these areas. Providing further clarification, Deputy Mayor Chase-Green explained that those areas are where squatters are living, and these pose a great difficulty for the machinery to move along the embankment to clear.
Appeal to City squatters
To this end, the Deputy Mayor appealed to the squatters, that they provide no obstruction, whilst the machinery is working in these areas. She also called on those persons doing cleanup in the different communities to inform the council when they are conducting such an exercise. She explained that this will ensure that the cleaning is done in a more coordinated manner, as in many cases, the garbage collected by these groups is left to lie on the roadside for days. She pointed out that if groups inform the council as to the date and time of their cleaning exercise, then the council would be better able to provide trucks at the sites to help with the collection and removal of the garbage.
Chase-Green also used the opportunity to appeal to the business and store owners on Regent and Robb Streets, to be present or have a representative, when there is cleaning within their vicinity. She explained that is to facilitate the opening of gates to their bridges that provide access to closed alleyways.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the tenders for the cleaning of the outfalls at Kingston, the Lamaha Sluice outfall and inlet and Sussex Street and Meadowbank and the revetment work at Sussex Street, tenders will be opened from July 14 at the ministry.
Once all of the tenders are opened, the ministry expects that contractors will mobilise speedily to execute the works, most of which will take about two to three weeks for completion.
KINGSTON - Government is currently pursuing an ‘evaluation of statuses’ of several infrastructural projects which were implemented by the previous administration. This was highlighted by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who addressed the media at his post-Cabinet briefing from the Ministry of the Presidency on June 24, 2105.
Highlighting first the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project, Minister Harmon recapped that when the current Government was in the opposition, “strong statements were made regarding the need for an expanded and extended runway, better facilities and the need for transparency.”
Now that investigations are on-going, Cabinet’s attention was drawn to a number of glaring realities. According to Mr. Harmon, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson related that the original budgeted amount of US$150M cannot suffice to complete the project in a way that will satisfy international standards for modern airports accommodating large aircraft. This conclusion was arrived at since it was discovered by the investigating unit that “several areas were not covered in the original project document.”
These include the equipment inside terminal (US$16M); navigational aids that must be changed and upgraded (US$1.3 M); completion of the existing generator building and pump house (US$60,000); the perimeter fence and security lights (US$565,000); completing the relocation of GDF mechanical and engineering department (US$250,000); and relocating of airport operators and other facilities (US$510, 000 ).
According to the Minister of State, an estimated additional amount of US$65 M is needed to complete the project from its present state to what it should really be if it will match what prevails in terms of an international airport.
The Minister also detailed that not only is the project lagging, but “US$30,000 has already been spent, that is, about 22% of the money allocated; yet only 6% of work has truly been effected.” He added that Cabinet has already mandated that the Minister of Public Infrastructure re-assess the project “with the aim of having the airport reach international standards to facilitate larger aircraft, modifying it to be completed with available funds already identified by the Exim Bank of China.
Minister Harmon also pointed out that even though there is tardiness thus far with the project, it will not suffer eventual termination. He explained that based on recent visits by high-level Chinese officials, including Wang Xiaofeng General Manager of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Americas Division, “it is a clear intention that the relationship with Government will continue and the project will not suffer because of lagging projects (with the previous government).”
. One idea in this expansion project was to create room for Guyana to become a hub, to serve flight routes to South America, Latin America and Africa. Amenities in mind at the time included the construction of a new terminal building; measuring 16,000 meters (existing is 8,500 sq. m). This building will have among other things eight passenger boarding bridges; two elevators; CCTV (Close Circuit Television); and departures control system. (GINA)
KINGSTON - The European Union (EU) has insisted on a number of measures before the release of $5.8 billion (€25 million) –frozen under the previous administration – for sea defence and the sugar sector including for government to show that funds released previously were utilized in a transparent manner.
“With regard to the sea defences, the real truth is that it is a tremendously expensive proposition. Unfortunately, due to the previous administration‘s performance, we were eligible for some support from the EU and that had been frozen. It started, initially because of the lack of parliamentary oversight, but they’ve now also tagged on the question of transparency, corruption etcetera onto the requirements and so this government, my ministry is now a recipient of that,” Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson told said.
Patterson met with an EU delegation on Tuesday and subsequently told Stabroek News that there was no movement on whether the funds would be released any time soon and this will impact Guyana’s ability to tackle sea defence areas in need of immediate repair and attention.
The minister said that it was unfortunate that the new administration’s planning and execution of projects would be delayed due to the lack of transparency in the previous administration. He asserted that the work that has been done over the years has not been “substantial.”
“We are supposed to be fixing it and moving on and it has a 10-year life shelf. What we are doing is outing fires and that is the situation that we find ourselves,” Patterson lamented.
The Minister said that teams are out daily assessing the sea defences in the most critical need of work. However, for now, the money is not there, he said and added that the ministry is working on its budgetary request to tackle the direst areas.
Without the billions in EU relief, according to Patterson, the ministry would be more reactionary in addressing sea defence concerns. “I mean, I can probably only react to the worse cases defects in the sea defences as opposed to progressively and systematically repair them so they can be of long term use,” Patterson related.
He revealed that $55 million in emergency relief was recently approved to allow for work to be done at Crane, West Coast Demerara. The minister told Stabroek News that he wanted to see a streamlining of various departments noting that the Mangrove Project was under the Ministry of Tourism when it has a large impact on sea defence. He noted that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority should be charged with countrywide drainage as a way to cut the bureaucracy at the local level.
Due to the withholding of EU funds, Guyana faces an uphill battle, Patterson said. He criticised the handling of the sea defence sector. “Prior approach to it has been wholly inadequate,” he said.
In January, the EU said that the absence of budget oversight was among the reasons for it withholding $5.8 billion (€25 million) in funds due to Guyana for sea defence and the sugar sector. “The latest partial payments related to these two programmes have been temporarily put on hold until all eligibility criteria, inter alia budget oversight, are satisfactorily addressed,” the EU Delegation in Guyana had said in a statement. When the EU released the statement in January, the National Assembly, the body responsible for budget oversight had been prorogued since November 10, 2014 by the former President Donald Ramotar.
The EU had said that it has a longstanding commitment to support development and poverty reduction in Guyana. It noted that last year, €34 million was allocated to Guyana under the 11th European Development Fund. Then Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had called the reason for the suspension of the funds “spurious.”
A delegation from the EU met with APNU+AFC government ministers on June 17. A release from the EU on that meeting said:
“Both sides acknowledged the fruitful cooperation over the last 40 years and confirmed their commitment to continue and further strengthen this cooperation in the years ahead. Areas of collaboration discussed during the meeting included cooperation on sugar industry reform, security, climate change adaptation and sea defences, cultural heritage, public finance management, governance and regional programmes, including investment facilities. The European Union indicated readiness to render immediate Technical Assistance support for areas of Public Finance Management and transparency, while further support for sugar industry reform and governance is being explored.” (Pushpa Balgobin)
KINGSTON - Minister of Public Infra-structure David Patterson has begun the process of ensuring qualified contractors for public works and he has signalled a tough approach on poor work and delays.
The new APNU+AFC government has announced plans to reconstitute the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). The NPTAB presides over billions of dollars worth of contracts each year and critics and political parties have questioned the basis for key awards in the past. It was also felt that the previous government, through evaluation committees, had an undue influence on the process.
Hon. Patterson contended that the level of favouritism that was evident under the previous administration was detrimental to providing the state with quality infrastructural work that lasted.
The Minister, a chartered quantity surveyor, said that while the government is looking to revise the current structure of the NPTAB, he plans to also compile facts on well-known contractors who have been used in the past.
“I have also asked my ministry to compile a current [list of], I mean I am not going too far back, contractors who would have done work for us. Ones that would have had cost overruns and time overruns so that we could, going forward, monitor them,” Patterson stated. He pledged that “going ahead everyone will get an even opportunity to tender.”
Patterson said the national tender board should be privy to contractors who have been delinquent in the past. “I intend to say to the tender board that Tom Jones in the last year… had ten contracts with us, eight of the ten were delivered late, eight of the ten or five of the ten ran over budget, were late and over budget so please consider strongly these matters when Tom Jones submits a request to prequalify cause it’s no use throwing good taxpayers’ money after bad contractors,” he said.
The blacklisting of delinquent contractors has been raised for a number of years as, on many occasions, contractors who had done poor work reappeared with new and sometimes bigger contracts.
The minister said “You cannot blacklist contractors, but I will be trying my best to blacklist contractors. I will probably say to the new tender board that I have an objection.”
Patterson spoke about corruption, stating that ministry staff was informed that the “same pool” of contractors would not be the only ones utilized. “I have zero tolerance for corruption, if this job does not pay you enough to work here I have said to all the employees you may as well leave. This is not a job to supplement their income,” he told Stabroek News.
He said that a list of approximately 40 contractors has floated around and the same number has been allowed to bid while others have not had opportunities in the past.
The minister said that experience mattered, but also said that the prequalification process was also there to ensure that capable persons were given a shot and if experience was one of the major criteria it would be reflected in the process.
The minister added that the performance bond process was also going to come under severe scrutiny by his ministry. He said that the ministry will not be repeating past experience or having to fight institutions over performance bonds should contractors fail to meet their obligation.
“They [the contractors] have bonds but the bonds are never enforced. Then when they attempted to enforce it the financing institution has resisted paying the bond and I said that from the first day here that I will also write the financial institutions to advise them that we would not be accepting bonds from you because you are not willing to stick and comply with the bonds you have issued,” Patterson said.
He charged that many of the performance bond issuers were “fly-by-night agencies.” Patterson said that tapping the performance bonds would continue for contractors who fell short of their obligations. However the financing institutions would also need to comply with their obligations.
The previous PPP/C administration had been notorious for not enforcing performance bonds on several major contracts. It had also appeared that the placing of bonds had been done without their being any intention of utilising them. Attempts to apply some of the bonds led to legal action by the financing institution.
As it relates to contracting for public projects, critics have said that there is no engineer’s act here which would provide the means of registering qualified contractors. It has been charged in the past that many unqualified persons have been able to secure contracts and substandard work has been done.
The minister noted that in the overhauling of the procurement process, accreditation would also become an issue and that the “grandfather clause” would need to be studied and implemented. He said that many contractors in Guyana have been doing work for years without the usual educational qualifications, however the minister did note that many due to experience are capable and therefore eligible.
Patterson also noted that he was researching compliance criteria in the region and was looking to ensure Guyanese could move comfortably to find work if they wanted. He said that by the annual contractors’ forum in February of 2016, the ministry would have a comprehensive plan which would be more inclusive of the various agencies that would fall under contracting. The minister called for broad-based and inclusive consultations. (Pushpa Balgobin)
