$3.2M in posters for Bartica waterfront project raises eyebrows

Feb 13, 2018 News

The posters on the façade of the market that have raised eyebrows because of the cost

It was announced last year that major transformative works will be done to improve Bartica, a riverfront community up the Essequibo River that is considered a key gateway to the hinterland.
The community was unveiled as a town last year. However, a number of transformation projects are now being questioned.
According to residents, six stalls were built in front of the Bartica municipal market, without costs being clear to residents or what criteria were used to choose the contractors.
According to a Town Council official, there are indications that at least two of the six stalls have been earmarked for close relatives of councillors.
On top of that, there have been raised eyebrows over posters on the façade of the market. It reportedly cost the Bartica council $3.2M.
“The Bartica Market Committee must explain what were the criteria used to qualify the six names of persons who will be given the stalls against the 36 other applications,” an angry official said.
“This was not a transparent and fair process. A lottery process should have been used or some other method where all the names of applicants are put in a bag and simply pull names in front of all the applicants.”
The six stalls were built with the 2017 subventions received from Central Government totaling $15M.
In August last year, state media reported that Bartica’s Mayor, Gifford Marshall, had disclosed that works have begun to transform the Golden Beach into a boulevard.
The Mayor said then that works are ongoing to renovate the beach area between Third and Fourth Avenues.
“That area is primarily where the regatta is kept, so persons coming to Bartica next year will think they are in some other place,” Marshall said.
The project which is estimated at $40M will see the beachfront transformed, with palm trees planted, and benches and solar-powered lights being installed.
It was reported that six mini marts would be erected “with the anticipation that different franchises will occupy the spaces, giving patrons a variety to choose from when they visit”,

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