$270M contract signed to upgrade Parika Market

Dec 03, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Friday inked a $270M contract to upgrade the Parika Market, Region Three.

The contract, which was awarded to Panko Steel Fabrication and Construction was signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Prema Ramanah-Roopnarine .

Kaieteur News had reported back in October that Panko Steel Fabrication was among two contractors that bid for the Ministry’s project which was estimated to cost $230,136,170.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar (center) overseeing the contract being signed on Friday between the Ministry’s PS, Prema Ramanah-Roopnarine, and a representative of Panko Steel Fabrication and Construction. (Photo credit: Minister Deodat Indar)

This publication understands that Panko Steel Fabrication is set to complete phase two of the Parika Market upgrade project.

The rehabilitation of the market began last year when a $29.2M contract was signed in Mid-July between the Ministry and Val’s Construction to complete phase one of the project.

At that contract signing, it was noted that the project would see the construction of 1000sq. ft. of roof with translucent sheets that would allow natural light to illuminate the market, a 300-foot concrete and steel fencing would be constructed, and the establishment of a four-chamber sanitary facility. Major works were also slated to be done on the electrical distribution system.

It was reported that when the works on the market are completed, vendors will vend under better and improved conditions. Though it is unclear, the percentage of works completed at the market at this time, in January a stall holder, Robin Salim, had previously called on President Irfaan Ali to address the state of the facility. The stall holder’s letter was published in the Kaieteur News.

According to Salim, who operates a gold business there for a number of years, had stated that the market is in a deplorable condition which is affecting the operations of some businesses.

Salim said in his letter, “The market has been in a deplorable state for some years now and several persons who own stalls were forced to close their businesses. The authorities are allowing persons to ply their trade on the road to the detriment of the persons who operate inside the market. This has resulted in several persons going out of business over the years”.

The stall holder said that officials visited the market repeatedly and promised to have it rehabilitated. “It is now some ten months since they started the works to fix the market and to date only some posts and frame of the roof have been constructed,” he said.

The man said the roofs of several stalls are leaking and the market is “like a ghost town as shoppers are not coming in due to persons occupying the roadways.”

Some sections of the Parika Market.

In April, President Ali visited the market and announced plans to improve the market. One of the improvements he had announced was to repurpose one of two ball fields in the area for the creation of a massive market tarmac. Works on the tarmac have started in August and is geared at easing congestion and improving the facilities for vendors and citizens using the market area.

The construction of the tarmac was estimated to cost some $139M.