Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
Construction of Day & Night Care Facility not constructed to standard – Audit Office
…contractor failed to install lintels on building
Construction of Day & Night Care Facility not constructed to standard – Audit Office
Kaieteur News- The construction of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Day and Night Care Facility was not done according to standard, the Auditor General’s report of 2023 stated.
The $89.374M contract was awarded to the contractor – the lowest of 23 bidders. The government’s engineer estimated the project to cost $83.872M.
The contract was signed between the contractor and the Human Services Ministry on September 27, 2023 with a duration of nine months, this being June 30, 2024 as the completion date.
The Audit Office said that as at December 31, 2023, the contractor received a mobilisation advance of $13.406 million representing 15% of the contract sum.
The Report stated that a team from the Audit Office carried out a physical verification on June 12, 2024 and revealed that the works were incomplete and behind schedule.
“The Contractor was not mobilized on site. No workers, tools, or equipment were present on-site at the time of the physical verification. The works completed at the time were foundations, kerb walls and ground floor slab, columns, beams, roof framing, and roof covering with the exception of the ridge cap, laying and rendering to the Hollow Concrete Blocks (HCB) external walls, and laying of internal HCB walls,” the report stated.
Additionally, upon inspection, the audit team observed that lintels, which were required under the contract, were not casted in place above multiple internal doorways and window openings, while block-works were already erected.
“The absence of this lintel beam to bear the loads of the block-swork above can result in structural cracking over time,” the report said.
Photographs showing no lintel beams above doors at the Day and Night Care Facility which was observed during the Audit Office’s inspection on June 12, 2024. (Audit Report)
During the verification of the project, the Audit Office found that no approved extensions of time were seen, while the completion date for the works was less than a month away at the time of the verification.
“Examination of the Bonds and Insurances revealed that the expiration date was 15 July 2024, however, since the works are behind schedule, these will have to be extended accordingly,” the Auditor General revealed.
In response to these findings and observations, the Human Services Ministry indicated to the Audit Office that no payments have been made for incomplete works.
“A letter was subsequently sent to the Contractor highlighting missing lintels. A photo/image was sent showing lintels on the external windows and efforts are being made to correct the defective works and install lintels in the internal doorways,” the ministry responded.
Further, the ministry noted that at the date of the physical verification, no extension approval was sought, however, a request for extension was sent to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on 14 August 2024.
The ministry added that upon receipt of the extension approval, the contractor will be reengaged to extend the necessary bonds and insurances, since the insurance Company requires an approval before extending the expiry dates.
Meanwhile, the Audit Office recommended that the ministry improves its supervision of the contractors to ensure that the contractual obligations are met.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud announced the government’s plan to construct Day and Night Care Facilities in various parts of the country in 2022.
The facilities aim to create a safe place for the nation’s children, and avenues for women to be gainfully employed. The initiative will also ensure access to trusted facilities for children. Back in 2023, the ministry had gone out to tender to construct one facility in Region Three and another in Region Four.
Pictures: care facility 1 & 2
Caption: Photographs showing no lintel beams above doors at the Day and Night Care Facility which was observed during the Audit Office’s inspection on June 12, 2024. (Audit Report)
(Construction of Day & Night Care Facility not constructed to standard – Audit Office)
- 2023 Report, Auditor General, Day and Night Care Facility, incomplete works, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security
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