$78M contract awarded to build IDB-funded justice centre at Lusignan

Jan 05, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Legal Affairs having received a US$8M loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under the Support Criminal Justice System programme, is looking to spend some GY$78 million of the sum to construct a new Hope and Justice Centre at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

According to information released from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) website, following the national competitive bidding procedures, out of the seven bidders, it is PD Contracting that has been selected as the contractor to the execute the construction of the facility. The contract was awarded in December to the tune of $78,818,644.

Kaieteur News had reported that the Government had received the US$8M loan from the IDB to address overcrowding in prisons as part of the Support Criminal Justice System programme. The Hope and Justice Centre programme aims to overcome prison overcrowding by reducing pre-trial detentions and increasing the use of alternative sentencing among other measures.

Further, the Hope and Justice Centre is expected to provide a wide range of services including but not limited to legal and medical aid, counselling, and law enforcement. The Centre falls under the purview of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, but the Ministry of Legal Affairs is the procuring entity for the project.

Back in December 2021, the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud at an event had explained that justice centres would be launched across the country so that services can be readily accessible. “So, we’re looking at a gender-based referral system where the police are involved or survivors’ advocates are involved…and welfare officers are involved… Justice centres will be launched across the country where these services will not be through phone call or through an extension, but they will be, or the intention is for them to be readily accessible to people across the country under one roof…,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News reported last month that the Ministry is also looking to build another Centre at Vergenoegen, Region Three. That project which is also being funded by the IDB loan had attracted four construction companies and is estimated to cost US$723,000 (G$144M).

Kaieteur News understands that the construction period for the centre at Lusignan is a minimum of nine months.