Region 10 RDC inks over $600M in contracts

Jun 03, 2021 News

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Kaieteur News – As the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 executes spending of $4.7 billion that was approved for this year, 30 contracts have been awarded and signed for projects under the different programme heads. Just recently, the regional administration signed $460 million in contracts, with the largest contract being a security contract valued at $389 million.

The contract was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to Home Safe Security. Signing the contract was General Manager (GM) of the company, Robert Johnson. The current contractor, Kalibur Security, completed its services on May 31, 2021.
Johnson assured current employees of Kalibur that their jobs are not in jeopardy and that systems are in place for a smooth transition. Johnson said too, that he would be working closely with the RDC to ensure timely payment so that workers in turn will be paid on time.
Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John, told the media that the RDC would also monitor the working conditions under which employees are to operate. He also noted that, “we will be employing checkers to see that all our facilities have security when they’re supposed to be there, and we will also be working with the accounts department to ensure that there will be prompt payment on a monthly basis,” John said. Johnson, the Home Safe Security GM, also assured that employees will not be paid below the minimum wage and they will receive all benefits.
The firm is expected to provide security services to all government buildings in Region 10 and all buildings and facilities that fall under the purview of the RDC.
In addition to the security contract, the RDC also signed three contracts with N&S General Engineering and Contracting Services to the tune of $70 million. These contracts were awarded at the level of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). The three contracts are extension of the 47 Miles Health Centre to the tune of $14 million, construction of Hururu Nursery School to the tune of $38 million and construction of Teacher’s Quarters at Wiruni to the tune of $18 million.
General Manager of the company, Shazad Sattaur, said that workers would be sourced from the communities where the projects will be executed. He said materials for the projects such as form board and concrete blocks will also be sourced in Region 10.
While these contracts were awarded by the NPTAB, the Regional Tender Board has thus far awarded 26 contracts to the tune of $168 million for 2021. The contracts fall under Education, Agriculture, Health and Public Works programme heads. Under Public Works, several community access roads will be rehabilitated. These include First Street, Rainbow City; Oronoque Drive; Retrieve; Ituni internal access road, Yuriballi Street, Retrieve; Pine Street Nursery School entrance; Industrial Area, Mackenzie; Access Road, Block 22; Access Road, Silvertown, among others.
Under Education, contracts awarded include repairs to the Teacher’s Quarters Aroaima, repairs and maintenance of the Calcuni Primary School, the Blue Berry Hill Nursery School, Canvas City Nursery School, Christianburg Wismar Secondary School, Regma Primary School, among others.
Under Health, contracts, including for the repairs and maintenance of the Kimbia Health Centre, the Coomacka Health Centre and 58 Miles Health Centre, have been awarded.
Under Agriculture, a contract for the upgrading of the farm to market road in West Watooka was awarded.
While the REO stressed that the Regional Tender Board is operating in a fair, unbiased and professional manner, the RDC is accusing the administration of awarding contracts to non-residents of Region 10 and not recognising the local content policy.
In a recent statement, Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, said that 70 percent of the contracts are awarded to persons out of Region 10. “Make no mistake; these are not unduly technical contracts. Our residents are equally capable of constructing drains, building schools and health posts, constructing security huts and building revetments,” the statement added.
It continued, “Other persons coming into these communities and leaving with the income they make are insulated by distance from the work they put out, and are not as intimately familiar with the tides of the rivers and its effect on the revetments and wharves to be built, the soil composition, swampy history and drainage patterns of some of our areas and the effect (or lack thereof) of the drains they build. The Regional Democratic Council of Region 10 will continue to also press forward with our demand to decide on our representatives on the Regional Tender Board.”

 

 

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