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City Hall gets $25.1M bailout to complete Kitty Market
The Kitty Market
Central Government has intervened to rescue the rehabilitation of the Kitty Market which has been marred by delays and financial troubles under the management of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, disclosed yesterday that Cabinet has awarded a contract of $25.1 million to BML Construction Services. This essentially takes the remaining project works out of the hands of the City Engineer Department that started rehabilitation project on February 12, 2016 at a cost of $250 million.
“This contract is a form of assistance from central government to the Georgetown Municipality to complete phase 1 of the rehabilitation work to be done at the Kitty Market,” Minister Harmon told reporters.
The M&CC had been adamant that preserving the architectural design of the 19th century structure, as well as ensuring that the original vendors are not displaced were among the priorities for the municipality.
It was stated that the rehabilitated Kitty Market would feature a traditional health centre, offices for payment of rates and taxes, and a space for community councillors. Shortly after the works started, the Council encountered difficulties. The work was reportedly stymied by the inability to procure materials and also because the Council had owed contractors.
M&CC Councillor, Khame Sharma, recently raised questions about the completion date for the project, which was announced to be completed last year.
Mayor Patricia Chase-Green staved off criticisms over the delays, noting that the reconstruction of the market was being financed mainly by the M&CC and that works would have continued as funds become available.
Recently, City Engineer, Colvern Venture, said that a date cannot be given when works will be completed, since it will depend on the income generated by the council. Venture had disclosed that 75 percent of the work to the market was complete, with some assistance from the Ministry of Communities
This is the second time in recent weeks that central government has assisted M&CC financially.
Central government honoured a request from the City Council to provide $475,635,245 to pay outstanding balances to Puran Brothers Disposal Services and Cevons Waste Management, which dates back to 2015.
The funds provided, ended a nightmare to the solid waste crisis that surged when the two companies withdrew their services because City Hall had stopped payment.
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