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Construction of Pensioners’ Association building started

Nov 23, 2009 News

NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – The Government Pensioners’ Association Berbice Branch would soon have a building to call their own after numerous setbacks.
The site for the structure is located east of the New Amsterdam Post Office and was a deed of gift handed over in 1999 by the New Amsterdam Town Council.
Chairman of the Government Pensioners’ Association Berbice Branch, Clement Johnson, explained that Government handed over $5 million in 2005 to the local administration for the construction of the building.
He explained that in 2006 the Region Six Democratic Council advertised a tender for it’s Capital Works Programme which included the construction of the structure for the pensioners’ association.
The tender was awarded during the latter part of 2006 and construction began in January the following year. However, only the base of the building was erected, work ceased and the pensioners were told the funds were not adequate. They requested financial statements the said year on how the funds were expended but never got an explanation.
“They told us the money finished. I worked with the Ministry of Works for 30 years and I was involved in construction works and so on. With the knowledge I have…no way that foundation could have cost $5 million. We queried that and we got nowhere. Still no one told us how this $5 million was spent but the Administration started back to work on the site a few weeks after the report was published in the Kaieteur Newspapers in June this year.”
Mr. Johnson said that they were given the assurance that the building would be completed by the end of this year. This structure would only have some amount of plumbing and none of the basic utilities would be provided until during 2010.
The Government Pensioners’ Association Berbice Branch comprises 100 members and they had been meeting for years at a location which is not conducive. Earlier in the year, permission was granted by the Regional Administration for pensioners to occupy the President’s Youth Building at Vryman’s Erven but that location was not furnished and could not be used. Subsequently, the offer was made for the use of the Region Six Board Room but this did not find favour with many of the members. At present, the group uses the New Amsterdam Lion’s Club Den at Vryman’s Erven.
Mr. Johnson said with work now back in progress and once brought to completion, the membership would increase and more beneficial activities can be held for senior citizens.

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