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Ali dissatisfied with slow pace of Ogle Paediatric and Maternal Hospital

Nov 07, 2024 News

Kaieteur News-President Irfaan Ali expressed strong dissatisfaction on Monday with the slow progress of the $12.4 billion Ogle Pediatric and Maternal Hospital being built on the East Coast of Demerara.

During a site visit alongside Minister of Health Frank Anthony, the President emphasised the importance of accelerating the construction process to meet the project’s deadlines.

“We are hoping that the contractor would pick up the pace,” President Ali stated. “We are not satisfied with the pace at the moment, and we are not going to shift our deadline for the completion of this hospital.” He highlighted the significance of the project, underscoring that once completed, the hospital will be one of the most modern pediatric facilities in the region.

The hospital’s external and substructure works are expected to be completed by January 2024. However, Diana Lopes, Project Manager for Australian construction company VAMED, informed the President that internal works—such as plumbing tests and electrical installations—would not begin until October 2025.

President Ali, visibly displeased with the timeline, rejected the proposed delay, stating, “That is not going to fly with us. That is far beyond the project time. We are going to be charging liquidated damages. We cannot accept this going to October.”

In response, the President instructed the contractor to increase manpower and implement a shift system to expedite the construction process. “You have to do a lot of simulation work; you have to start working two shifts,” Ali ordered.

The President also reiterated the high standards expected for the hospital, noting, “It is a level five hospital—the highest standard that you will get for paediatric care here. The construction and design must take into consideration the most modern equipment to match what the hospital is expected to deliver.”

Once completed, the hospital will feature 256 beds and cover 24,000 square meters of gross floor area. It will include an imaging suite equipped with CT scans, X-rays, and MRI scanning equipment, as well as a modern laboratory to conduct sophisticated tests.

The hospital project was awarded to VAMED on June 8, 2022, with a total budget of $12.4 billion. President Ali further stated that the government plans to import foreign specialists for the first phase of the hospital’s management once construction is complete.

(Ali dissatisfied with slow pace of Ogle Paediatric and Maternal Hospital)

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