By: Trichell Sobers
As works continue to upgrade the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill has revealed that the construction of the Administrative Building has been delayed but works on the Commercial Centre is significantly advanced and is due for completion this year-end.
The new Administrative Building, which is being constructed by Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Incorporated to the tune of $890 million, will house over 300 airport staff when complete.
In a telephone interview with this publication on Wednesday, Edghill disclosed that the contractor has been served with two performance letters and engaged by the relevant personnel overseeing the project’s completion about it being significantly behind schedule.
He explained that while Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal has not surpassed the stipulated deadline for works, the Ministry did implore them to put systems in place to address the delay, so as to ensure the building is delivered in a timely manner.
“The admin building is behind because the contractor has not put enough resources to get the work done in an expeditious manner,” Edghill explained.
With regards to the $874 million Commercial Centre being built by PD Contracting, Edghill has expressed satisfaction with the works completed thus far.
“By December 31st, sections of that commercial building should be habitable and usable for the public,” the minister noted.
“In that commercial center, it’s where we’re building out new concessions for both airside and landside. There’ll be a new VIP lounge, a business lounge, an executive lounge. It is outfitted with escalators and elevators to allow passengers to access easily, as well as those who are differently-abled. And that, you will recall, was one of the things that the Government of Guyana, or I should say the PPP/C Government, was able to get from the Chinese to put up this superstructure,” he added.
Meanwhile, works on the airline offices complex are halted given that Trinidadian company Kalco Guyana Incorporated requested that its contract be terminated.
Edghill explained that works will recommence soon with a new contractor.
“If a contractor is on a site and they are unable to perform, we have to do two things. Work with them to get nominated subcontractors who could assist. You could have several people doing things simultaneously which would expedite the time. In this case, Kalco has asked to be excused from the project because they were not able to do it… And now we are putting together a list of contractors with capacity who is known to have done work of a similar nature in a restricted tendering process to be able to get them swiftly engaged,” he outlined.
