$63M in contracts awarded for Indian Monument construction

The Public Infrastructure Ministry has announced over $63 million in contracts have been awarded for the construction of a supporting structure for the Indian Arrival Monument at the Palmyra Village on the Corentyne, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), after the base of the structure collapsed last year.
Information from the Public Infrastructure Ministry indicates that the works will commence on August 14 and are expected to be completed by October 31.
The construction is divided into eight lots and involves the creation of a base and podium for the monument, peripheral structures such as a perimeter walkway and parking area, internal and external landscaping, roadway and drainage, lighting and, a visitor’s gallery, fencing and a security hut.
From the eight lots, contracts were awarded for only two so far by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. The first lot was awarded to Raffik and Sons General Building Contractors for a sum of $28.6 million while Lot Two has been awarded to A&A Engineering Services for a sum of $34.8 million.
The Ministry has also indicated that the contracts for the other six remaining lots will be awarded by the third quarter of this year.
“This 12×12 monument is sculpted in bronze and is a visual representation of ordinary Indian people in routine everyday life with each bearing a significant artefact as an ode to the continued traditions brought by forefathers from India translated to current livelihood and practices by Guyanese today,” the Ministry stated.
The monument was gifted to Guyana by the Government of India to symbolise the country’s cultural celebration and it was built by MS Collin Mathis and Associates. However, in April 2017, the structure came crashing down which prompted the Indian Government to request a report and it was later related that they offered to send skilled craftsmen to rebuild it.
At the time of the collapse, then Regional Chairman David Armogan had stated that the Administration would not be accepting accountability for the poor construction and whole the Public Infrastructure Ministry had said the project falls under the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport within the Education Ministry. A source at the Department told this publication that the Department was not responsible for the project.
They then referred the matter to the Ministry of the Presidency while noting that they should accept responsibility.