$825M in contracts awarded to develop housing sector

TWENTY-FOUR contracts valued at $825M were awarded to contractors at a simple ceremony at the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Friday. Contracts were signed for six projects under the Inter America Development Bank (IDB) programme to the tune of $512M. These projects include infrastructure upgrade at Sophia Housing area, Georgetown, in lots one to six. These contracts have been awarded to S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services, GuyAmerica Construction Inc., H. Nauth and Sons, Colin Talbot Contracting Services, and Purans Bros. Disposal.

Another 18 contracts were awarded under the Government of Guyana 2020 Programme to the tune of $313M. These projects include road upgrade works at EE Eccles, Providence, Prospect, Cummings Lodge, land preparation at Prospect, Cummings Lodge, Providence, and infrastructure at Little and Great Diamond lots One to Seven. These works are expected to commence in the new week and with a completion deadline of six weeks save and except for the land preparation projects.

The contractors were urged by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Sherwyn Greaves, to execute their work with expediency. Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, said it is part of the ministry’s approach to achieving its mandate of providing better housing opportunities for Guyanese. It is also a step closer to fulfilling the government’s promise of 50,000 house lots over the next five years.

“We want contractors to immediately mobilise and commence construction, I am aware that some contractors are thinking that it is year-end and want to collect their mobilisation advance and wait until the new year, but there are timelines for completion and the contract will be fulfilled which all contractors will be signing,” he said. Minister within the Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, called on the contractors to see themselves as partners and stakeholders in infrastructural development. She charged the contractors to execute their duties to the best of their ability and to ensure Guyanese are able to achieve their dream of homeownership. Greaves said the projects will see road construction and upgrades, land preparations and a number of infrastructural works.