Our local contractors have to be given a chance on Sheriff Street

Nov 12, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Despite our challenges, we have been slowly emerging, building our capacity. We are not yet our of the woods. But the clearing is in sight.
We read ever so often in the news of the Government’s strides in providing training for our officers.
Our police and other law enforcement ranks are streaming overseas, thanks to a number of donors, for training. We have senior ranking officials from the various ministries also benefitting.
These can all be described as capacity building.
But the idea should not be limited to just training of our people.
It has to extend to other areas. Places like Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai are demanding that technology and knowledge transfers for its people play a major part of any business deal.
It is the only way to ensure the country benefit.
In recent years, Guyana has been pulling against the odds, with contractors expanding, into road building, construction of bridges and well, and even oil drilling. We are constructing and repairing vessels, and experimenting in new ways to deal with solid waste.
We have ventured into the aircraft industry and diversified our holdings from traditional areas.
The entry into oil has raised new debates about our benefits.
We have to start aggressively pushing and monitoring our contractors, holding them to the highest standards.
There are several large-scale projects ongoing…the East Berbice roadway, the East Coast Demerara expansion, the West Coast Demerara public road and a planned link between Ogle and the East Bank of Demerara is suppose to start sometime.
We also will likely within the next 12 months, start construction of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.
These were opportunities for us to expand our capacity.
We last month saw the opening of tenders for a large project…the expansion of the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue area.
The Engineer’s Estimate is in excess of US$61M. The foreign funded project is in several lots.
It is a golden opportunity for this administration to give our locals an opportunity.
The project has to be done keeping in mind that the link is one of the most critical one in the country, connecting East Coast to East Bank Demerara and is main artery to Central Georgetown.
There are several lots involved and there is a chance for everyone to shine.
Our Minister of Public Infrastructure has been doing an excellent job. Here is one more for you.
Trevor Peterson

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