Diamond Sec. School’s new wing incomplete despite more than 80% of contract sum being paid out - AG report

Diamond Sec. School’s new wing incomplete despite more than 80% of contract sum being paid out – AG report

Dec 16, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four has paid a contractor approximately 80 percent of the contract sum to complete the new wing of the Diamond Secondary School, East Bank Demerara (EBD). However, works are incomplete according to Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma in his 2022 Audit Report.

The incomplete works identified by the Audit of Office on July 28, 2023. (Photo courtesy, Audit Office)

The AG in his report noted that in 2022 a $69.828M contract for the construction of the new wing at the Diamond Secondary School was awarded by National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.

He noted that the contract was signed on June 2 with the commencement date being June 10, and a completion date set for November 30, 2022.

The Auditor General shared that at the end of December 2022, amounts totalling $62.846M were paid out to the contractor. He noted too that during a physical verification exercise on July 28, 2023, it was revealed that the works on the new wing were incomplete and the contractor was not on site.

“At the time it was observed that electrical, furnishing, plumbing and painting works were all incomplete,” the AG described.

He explained that the contractual completion date expired since 30 November 2022 and at 28 July 2023, eight months beyond the completion date, the works remain incomplete. In addition, no approved extensions of time were noted, he presented.

In response to the AG’s findings, the Regional Administration had indicated that works are currently ongoing. Following the findings, the Audit Office recommended that the Regional Administration ensures that all works are carefully inspected before signing off payment certificates for the project.

This publication had reported following a fire that destroyed the old structure in 2018, the new wing was being constructed.

The $69,828,367 contract was awarded to Navin and Sons Construction. The construction firm was among 13 contractors that had submitted bids for the project which was estimated to cost some $75 million.

It was reported that the $69 million contract is just the first phase of the project which is slated to be completed in two phases – both phases are estimated, by the engineer, to cost $163M.

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Audit Report 2022, contractor, Diamond Secondary School, incomplete work, Regional Democratic Council of Region Four

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