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Govt. to spend $1.2B to upgrade 2 interior airstrips
Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Public Works has received eight bids for the rehabilitation of two hinterlands airstrip which are estimated to cost taxpayers $1,253,077,238.
The airstrips up for rehabilitation are Matthews Ridge Airstrip (Lot2) in Region One and the Paruima Airstrip (Lot1) in Region Seven.
At the recent opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that out of the eights bidders, three bid for the works at Paruima, six bid for the Matthews Ridge project and one bidder, with no bid sum nor details on which project it bid to execute, was provided.
The contractors are as follow: International Import & Supplies – $335,552,625 (Lot1); Deowdat Singh Construction Firm – $867,877,374 (Lot2); GV Construction Inc. – $998,260,830 (Lot2); Mohammed’s Excavating Construction Inc. – $941,731,192 (Lot2), $522,090,019 (Lot1); BDE Recycling – $866,376,315 (Lot2); BS Narine & Son Investment; Orlando Charles Foundation of Hope – $900,422,932 (Lot2), $345,657,338 (Lot1); and Mohammed Ramzanalli Khan Construction – $926,497,530 (Lot2).
The Ministry provided that for works at Matthews Ridge, it is estimated to cost $928,720,819, while at Paruima Airstrip, rehabilitation is pegged at $324,356,419.
Kaieteur News had reported that the Matthews Ridge Airstrip and the one in Paruima are among several runways which would be rehabilitated this year so as to make the structures safer for aircrafts to land.
Some section of the airstrip in Matthews Ridge, Region One (Photo taken on February 4, 2023).
This is according to Senior Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh who mentioned during his 2023 budget presentation that the government has allocated $1.6 billion from the National Budget to rehabilitate and maintain a number of hinterland airstrips in the country.
“Mr. Speaker, several hinterland airstrips and related facilities were also rehabilitated and maintained to make them safer for aircraft, travellers, tourists, and investors. In 2022, Government expended $600 million toward the completion of the Lethem, Baramita, Paramakatoi and Kaieteur airstrips, paving the way for new developments in these communities to attract more business, tourism and socio-economic activities,” he explained.
The Minister had noted that part of the $600 million too; they also commenced rehabilitation on three airstrips – Eteringbang in Region Seven, Karisparu in Region Eight and Ekereku Bottom in Region Seven – which will be completed during the first half of this year.
He added, “In 2023, an amount of $1.6 billion has been allocated for their completion and at the same time, caters for the rehabilitation of Paruima, Imbaimadai and Matthews Ridge airstrips and maintenance of other hinterland airstrips.”
As it relates to the Ekereku Bottom, Karisparu and Eteringbang airstrips, this publication had reported that contracts were awarded for them to be rehabilitated. In April last year, contractor Ideal Engineering was contracted to work on the Karisparu airstrip to the tune of $314,421,450, while The Orlando Charles Foundation was awarded the $308,034,237 contract for the Ekereku Bottom airstrip. Works on the Eteringbang airstrip was being done by the Guyana Defence Force and community members in that area.
Kaieteur News reported that the Ministry was upgrading the airstrips to concrete structures since they have been in poor conditions for some time, which pose a danger to aircraft and passengers utilising them.
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