Infrastructure Ministry determining whether High Street building could be safely occupied

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday 17, 2016

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is examining whether the High Street, Georgetown building, that was earmarked for use by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) could be occupied without it being a danger to people’s lives.

Addressing the media at the post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency today, Minister Trotman notes that the High Street building continues to be “an embarrassment to the past administration.” The Minister said that this is due to the fact that over $700M was spent on the building’s construction and today, it is no closer to being effectively occupied.

“Studies show that even if you put tiles on the first floor, the floor is expected to crumble because the support beams were not present,” the Minister said.

He noted that both the GGMC and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) would have together put over $400Millon into the building’s construction, “with the expectations that they may be able to occupy it, but when structural surveys were done, it showed that the very minimum of persons and furniture would have to be put in the building for it to be used,” the Minister said.

The Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) building was torn down and replaced by the current building.

The structure was originally earmarked for the former Ministry of Human Services, but it was later announced that the Ministry of Natural Resources, created under the previous administration, would be in charge of the new building.