Three firms submit bids to build new Brickdam Police Station

Nov 22, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Three companies are competing for the contract to reconstruct the Brickdam Police Station.

During Thursday’s opening at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office it was disclosed that R. Bassoo & Sons Construction Company in association with Qigjian Group Company Limited; Hookmally Ali Limited in association with Steel Structures T&T Limited; and Nabi Construction Inc. have submitted bids to build the Police Station which was destroyed by fire in 2021.

File photo: Fire destroys the Brickdam Police Station in October 2021

Prior to Thursday’s bids, seven companies had submitted proposals for design services for the reconstruction of the police station. The firms that bid were SRKN’gineering & Associates Limited in association with Mackay Practice, and Jensen Hughes; Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services; PME Consulting Engineering Inc. in association with Aleron Limited & Stages Consulting Engineers Limited; WSP Caribbean Limited (T&T); KS & P Limited (T&T); AI Architects; and Beston Consulting Inc.

On October 2, 2021 a devastating fire flattened the Brickdam Police Station, along with two vehicles and a business place close by. According to reports, the fire reportedly began around 11:06hrs in the upper part of an eastern building and spread to several other buildings in the compound.

Immediate investigations led to the root of the fire, which was found to be caused by arson. A prisoner, who was arrested earlier for robbery under arms, confessed to the crime.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn at an event in December said that several discussions were held with stakeholders, along with engineers on the rebuilding of the Brickdam Police Station. He disclosed that the government intends to construct an 11-storey building to replace the police station.

Some $400M was allocated to the Ministry of Home Affairs in this year’s budget for the construction of the new complex.

Meanwhile, in September, the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted a geotechnical investigation (soil testing) which lasted four days. In a press release, the Ministry had stated that the investigation is to aid in the selection criteria for the foundation of an 11-storey building, approximately 120ft by 80ft. The building will be used as the new headquarters of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Ministry noted.

“The objectives are to perform geotechnical tests to acquire information on the ground strata and engineering properties. These objectives are to determine the classification of soil at each layer and the depths of the layers, the cohesion and adhesion of each soil stratum, the angle of friction of the soil at each soil stratum, and the rate and magnitude of soil consolidation groundwater condition and permeability of the soil,” the press release said.

The Ministry of Finance’s Mid-Year Report said that the construction of the new police station should start during the second half of this year.

Below are the contractors and their bids: