Modernised waterfront recreational areas projects nearer fruition

Aug 15, 2017 News

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure is in the process of assessing environmental, social and economic impacts as it prepares to commence the creation, restoration and modernisation of several waterfront recreational areas.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson

Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said after identifying and addressing those issues, the Ministry will tender for the projects and work is expected to start immediately after.

Some preliminary designs for the creation and restoration of modern Waterfront Recreational Areas between Kingston and Ogle, Stabroek Market and Vreed-en-Hoop were completed last year, Patterson disclosed.

He added that tenders for the consultancy have been evaluated by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and will be awarded shortly.

Guyana has obtained a £53.2M grant from the United Kingdom’s Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UK CIF) to improve or create new infrastructure to drive economic growth and development.

Minister Patterson explained that initially his ministry was to fund the project, but responded to the UK CIF’s call for proposals which would enable them to do more. He said there is no delay, but there is a process to follow.

“The implementation phase is to follow the guidelines of the DFID/CBD as opposed to our

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn

own funds, so it’s not really a delay but a rescheduling of where the funds are coming from. We can do much more with the UK CIF/CDB funding it’s larger than what we can fund internally, so that is the only delay,” Minister Patterson underlined.

At a recent press conference British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn announced that the contracts for the technical design and feasibility study for this project had been awarded. The expected duration for the studies is approximately nine months.

The UK CIF funding also allows for the acquisition of a dredge, rehabilitation/upgrading of Linden to Mabura Road and construction of a Bridge across the Kurupukari River (Kurupukari Crossing).

Minister Patterson disclosed that the contract for Linden to Mabura Road is also due to be out for tender this year.

The Caribbean Development Bank will be responsible for overseeing these projects and a team from the Bank will be in Guyana in December to formalise the agreement on the projects.