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US$150M and counting at CJIA… Contract says: Six large screen TVs cost $80M
As scrutiny of the 2011 contract for the Timehri airport expansion contract continues, it is throwing up some surprising costs that taxpayers will have to be saddled with.
For example, the US$150M would have been outfitted with some 36 of the 46-inch screen monitors for the Flight Information Display System.
No big problem. However, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), in the 2011 contract and the then Government of the day, under Bharrat Jagdeo, agreed that the price for each would be a whopping US$6,548.90 each ($1,310,000). Some US$235,760.40 ($47,152,080) would have set aside for those 36 of the 46-inche TVs.
It did not end there.
There were 12 of the 52-inch monitors needed. Each was US$9,824.43 (almost $2M). The amount set aside for those 12 LCD displays were US$117,893.16 ($23,578,632).
The airport also needed six of the “large scale display screen (LCD)4*82”. Each was a whopping US$65,493.30 ($13.1M).
That cost for those 82-inches were US$392,959.80 ($80M).
The revelations would come as Government is preparing to accept what is supposed to be an expanded airport for US$150M.
The extended deadline for the Chinese contractor, CHEC, would have been the end of the year, some two years overdue.
Among other things, there was suppose to be a brand-new two storey terminal building to replace the aging one that was unable to cope with the crowds.
The old terminal was supposed to be torn down.
However, this administration decided to keep the old building and renovate it. It built a way smaller building to the south of the old one to cater for the arrivals area.
The new building would have boasted energy-efficient solutions including a glass roof and skylights worth $1.1B.
Ongoing renovation works at the old terminal building.
The project has been drastically modified with the Coalition Government not giving details on whether the project cost of US$150M has been slashed or it is the same or increased.
There are no details whether Guyana is still obligated for the US$138M in loan it took from China.
The project involves a Chinese contractor and now spans three administrations and is largely shrouded in secrecy.
What is known is that the contract was halted in 2015 when the Coalition Government came to office. The contractor was allowed to restart work.
However, what Guyana is now getting is not what is reflected in the contract.
Guyana has taken a loan of US$138M from China with the additional US$12M to come in counterpart financing from the Government.
The old terminal has been gutted and renovated.
The Opposition, too, has been silent on a contract, which it signed secretly with CHEC in Jamaica.
Kaieteur News had reached out to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which is charged with the airport, but a promised tour never materialized.
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