Sod turned for new Gold Board HQ, Health Ministry lab at Liliendaal

Feb 13, 2020 News

The Ministries of Public Health and Natural Resources yesterday hosted a ceremonial sod-turning for the new Epidemiology and Entomology Lab and the Guyana Gold Board’s (GGB) Head Office Building Site at Liliendaal.

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman turn the sod to initiate construction of the two buildings

The shared space will allow Guyanese, but especially miners, to get screened for malaria when they go to sell their gold. However most importantly, the lab would be able to carry out research activities, which would see strides in the control and elimination of vector-borne diseases.
At yesterday’s sod turning, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence said the lab would ensure the rollout of more activities such as mosquito capture and identification, as well as testing for the resistance to insecticides which are currently used.
Minister Lawrence was elated at the kick-start to the initiative, while noting that the current laboratory under the Public Health Ministry is “not a conducive environment”.
The cost of construction and equipping of the state of the art laboratory would range between $300-$400 million dollars and will carry a staff complement of 50.
Furthermore, the two-storey building will also house 11 rooms, one board room and the laboratory.
Also, in attendance were Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, GGB Chairman Gabriel Lall and other board members, and GGB General Manager, Eondrene Thompson.
Minister Trotman also delivered remarks, and included a brief background of how the twin project evolved. He maintained that the movement of the GGB to a new “home” from which to operate and provide services to Guyanese is in keeping with the mandate of the sector. He also expressed that he felt a personal sense of satisfaction that his promise to find a permanent abode for the GGB was being realized.
Minister Trotman further noted that the GGB remains a strong pillar of the natural resources sector and Guyana, as the revenues collected account for a significant portion of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Referencing the recently opened GGB office in Port Kaituma, the Minister applauded the Board and the Management of the GGB for continuing to advance its mandate and maintaining its commitment to making services accessible throughout the country.
Speaking on behalf of the GGB, Ms. Thompson said that the event was significant for the Gold Board, because the entity has always shared space since its establishment. She noted her pleasure that the GGB is one-step closer to providing an edifice, which projects the country’s wealth.
The cost for construction of the GGB’s new head office is not yet known, since bids for the project have not been opened. The deadline for those bids, according to the Natural Resources Ministry, is February 20, 2020.
The buildings will be located at the site of the health ministry’s former Medex building at Liliendaal.

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