Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday clarified that it is the Chinese and not the Guyana Government, that will be funding the $1.4B rehabilitation of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), at Lilendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
Speaking with the media at a post-cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Harmon explained that is this part of the original contractual arrangement, whereby the contractor must undertake at their own cost, renovation/remedial works to the building, resulting from issues arising from the earlier execution of the project.
Further, the Minister said that the amount of $1.4B that is being quoted for the repairs are sums that were arrived at by the Chinese Government, who would have sent their contractors to assess the level of works that will have to be done at the centre.
According to Harmon, the structural issues at the centre are as a result of the sinking of the entire bottom floor towards the southern entrance, of the centre. This has resulted in the building become a little unstable, the Minister said.
The ACCC will be closed from December for four months to facilitate the repairs.
The People’s Republic of China on February 16, 2006, delivered the multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art, Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) to the Government and people of Guyana.
The building was renamed the Arthur Chung Convention Centre by President David Granger in March 2015
The centre which was funded through a US$8 million grant from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, brought Guyana into the modern orbit where convention centres are concerned, by creating a hub that would allow Guyana to become a fine destination for the hosting of international conferences and meetings.
The ACCC has a main conference hall with a seating capacity of 372, five smaller conference rooms, a business centre and a restaurant.
