$6.9B in contracts inked to upgrade hundreds of Region Six roads

-Another $7B to be invested shortly

Another $6.9 billion in contracts have been awarded to 389 small contractors in Region Six.  They are tasked with upgrading 400 across the county.
The agreements were inked between the government and the contractors at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in New Amsterdam.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Tuesday, Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, revealed that an additional $7 billion in contracts will be tendered for larger contractors with the capacity to handle more extensive projects.

He said the rapid expansion of public sector projects means that more contractors will be required for the successful implementation of the government’s ambitious plans.

The vice president said that the government intends to assemble a larger pool of contractors nationwide.

Almost 2,000 new contractors have entered the field since the PPP/C Government returned to office in August 2020.

Vice president Jagdeo noted that integrating these new companies into the bidding process has not been without challenges. He said that concerns have been raised about multiple family-owned businesses bidding for contracts and in turn, this has led to an uneven distribution of opportunities.

“If we go that route, we won’t be able to broaden the contractor core and secondly, when people find this out, you don’t get the blame, we [government] get the blame. It’s the first thing they are saying is the PPP/C is tolerating this and it is something that we are very intolerant of,” Dr Jagdeo stressed.

To address these challenges, a rating system has been introduced to allow small contractors to secure deals without being subjected to a competitive bidding process.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, explained that the new process will expand the scope of opportunities for more Guyanese to benefit from the country’s booming infrastructural developments.

“It gives people who feel they otherwise would have been excluded, the opportunity to enter, and secondly, it gives people an opportunity to grow from a few million dollars to projects of up to $15 million, and as you grow…you will be able to graduate to the top,” minister Edghill emphasised.

He outlined strict rules for contractors, including mandatory testing of roads to ensure they meet the required 4500 PSI strength.

PSI, or Pounds Per Square Inch, measures the strength of concrete after it has cured, specifically indicating its compressive strength.

Contractors whose work fail to meet this standard will have to redo the project or risk having their contract cancelled without pay.

To promote transparency, contractors and engineers must introduce themselves to communities prior to the commencement of work and provide project details and a bill of quantities.

This particular measure aims to involve residents in the monitoring process and to ensure projects meet the specified standards.

Contractors were warned against subcontracting or selling their contracts to third parties. Such practices, minister Edghill said, would lead to their immediate disqualification.

Meanwhile, the ministry will maintain a list of high-performing contractors, ensuring only those who deliver quality work will be considered for future projects.

Present at the signing ceremony were Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and Regional Chairman, David Armogan.