The newly rehabilitated Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) was on Thursday afternoon handed over to the Guyana government.
The US$8 million project was funded by the Chinese government under the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement signed by Guyana and China in 2011 and 2012.
The 18 month rehabilitation project was carried out by China Railway Group, the same Chinese company that built the centre in 2006.
The project started in late 2016 and was completed within the timeline at an approximate cost of $1.4B.
Funding for the project came from the Chinese as 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.
The building became unstable as a result of the sinking of the bottom floor towards the southern entrance, thereby necessitating the rehabilitation.
Among the works done at the facility are upgrades to the exterior and interior of the building, the main and smaller conference rooms were refurbished with the former now being equipped with a new digital conference system and interpretation booth.
There is also a new wifi system that will make the ACCC an internet hotspot as well as an IT room upgraded with 20 new computers.
Both President David Granger and Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun said that this project is a further reminder of the deepened and committed relations between the two countries.
The commemoration of the rehabilitated ACCC was also deemed symbolic as it was completed in the year that marked the 100th birth anniversary of the late former President Arthur Chung.
