$79M in contracts to build nursery school, extend dorm

Jun 21, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Monday signed two contracts worth over $79 million for the expansion of a dormitory and the construction of a new nursery school in Region Three.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall along with the contractors and REO yesterday.

According to a statement posted on the Ministry’s Facebook page, the contracts which were signed by the Region’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Jagnarine Somwar are for the construction of a school in Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo and the expansion of the Leonora Secondary School dormitory on the West Coast Demerara.
Kaieteur News understands that a contract worth $27.6 million was awarded to NK Engineering Services to expand the dormitory while a contract worth $51.4 million was given to TVS Contracting & Engineering to build the nursery school. The ministry stated that upon completion of the projects, some 200 pupils are expected to be housed at the nursery school while with the expansion some 30 students will be at the dormitory. Construction is slated to begin on June 28, 2022 and will run for six months.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall who witnessed the signing of the contracts urged the contractors to ensure that persons within the surrounding community gain employment through these projects and to also ensure value money. From this year’s budget, it a sum of $6.6 billion has been dedicated towards the construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities. This would see the commencement of the construction of the Prospect Secondary School, and the reconstruction of North Ruimveldt and North West Secondary Schools, both of which were destroyed by fire last year. Further, according to the budget, the money will go towards the construction of nursery schools at Hydronie, Haslington and Vryheid Lust and primary schools at Bamia, Amelia’s Ward, Kaikan, Karabairu, Zeelugt and Oronoque. It was reported in the media that over $8 billion was approved for Region Three from this year’s budget. Out of that amount, some $4.6 billion was put aside for the Region’s education sector.