The Guyana Government has taken the first step to relocate government ministries, their departments, and agencies under one roof.
The sum of $2.6 billion was approved for the construction of high-rise office complexes in budget 2022 on Tuesday.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill defending the allocation in the Committee of Supply, said the money caters for geotechnical studies, designs, supervisory services and advance payment for civil works.
The Ministry of Public Works is the first Ministry that will undergo this transformation.
The Ministry has under its purview, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Work Services Group, and the Transport and Harbours Department, among several others.
“The modern Guyana that we are talking about will see us putting all our offices into a multi-storey office complex and that will be duplicated several times over around the government service. So, what you will see is we have to do the geotechnical studies, we have to do the designs, we have to get the supervisory services and ultimately the advance payment for civil works, so this is what this allocation is to facilitate,” the Minister stated.
Minister Edghill said the intent is to have the complex in the vicinity where the current building is housed.
When asked what the government intends to do with the current buildings once they become vacant, Minister Edghill said the established process will be followed. He noted that the buildings are located along the bank of the Demerara River, a strategic location for investors.
With that, the Minister made it clear that Guyana’s development is strategic, purposeful and will not be left to chance.
