The government is currently constructing a massive office complex on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to accommodate approximately 6000 staff.
The complex will occupy 20.8 acres of land in proximity to the Haags Bosch landfill site at Eccles but Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill has assured that the landfill will not affect the building or its intended staff.
“That entire area, as far as we are concerned at the Ministry of Public Works, has been deemed safe and adequate for the kinds of development that is taking place,” the Minister told the National Assembly on Thursday morning.
He was at the time responding to questions from Opposition Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson who asked whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed.
“I don’t think it has ever arisen at any time during the development of this project or any other projects and activities that are being done…that there was some issue for a need for an EIA,” Edghill said. He explained that the activities at the Haags bosch sanitary landfill facility are being completed within strict guidelines to guard against negative impacts to the surrounding environment.
The facility was initially set to be built on a block of land measuring 1089ft by 400ft (10 acres) but this was upgraded to 1458ft by 600ft by 874,800 sqft (20.8 acres) following the link of the East Bank road network to the East Coast at Ogle.
So far, Minister Edghill said works are at an advanced stage. “The entire site has already been cleared, tonnes of truckload of sand have already been done for the land filling, all of the geotechnical bore holes have already been completed, the soil sampling and everything has been completed, the mobilization of equipment are on site, the contractor has also submitted his new design based on the location and layout and that is awaiting the response of the supervisory consultant,” he explained.
He added that the Government has hired a supervisory consultant this year to oversee the project. According to the Minister, this practice is being employed by the Ministry to “the best possible skills to supervise the work that is being done,” to manage the projects properly.
The total cost of the project is $15,874, 143, 300 and it is awarded to Caribbean Green Building Inc. So far, $2.6 billion was awarded as a mobilisation fee in 2022, $4 billion in 2023 and $1 billion in 2024.
The complex will feature four towers and is intended to consolidate some these government agencies into one location, thereby improving on the delivery of services.
