Bids received for upgrade of zoo

Guyana’s lone Zoological Park, located within the Botanical Gardens on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, will be upgraded soon with bids in excess of $5 million already received to kickstart the project.
At the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on Tuesday, three bids were received to the tune of $5 million, while another firm requested over $6 million to have the project completed.
This aspect of the job would see repairs being conducted to rehabilitate enclosures and exhibits for birds within the park.
The bids received were as follows: JPM’s General Construction, $6.2 million; Fiffe Building, $5.7 million; W Rasheed Service, $5.3 million and RP Construction Agency, $5.4 million. The engineer estimated the project to cost $5.4 million.

This project was retendered under the Department of Environment, Ministry of the Presidency after no bids were received on July 23, when the project first came up at the Tender Board.
Several notices were published in the newspapers prior to that bidding process, however, no contractors expressed their interest.
The Zoological Park is long overdue a facelift.
The zoo has been in quite a state for some time now. Many were excited by the news of the rehabilitation, which would hopefully help to restore the zoo to its former glory.
Former Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, who had the responsibility for Guyana’s tourism, had announced plans to construct a safari-type facility for the remaining animals back in March of this year.
According to him, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) was considering this type of structure for the animals.
However, the contract which will be signed soon could put contractors at risk, given that moves made by the caretaker Government following the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion, are dubbed “illegal”.
Only recently, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) said that the uncertain footing of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government has put Private Sector contracts with the State at risk.
The PSC had slammed the behaviour of President David Granger and his Government, who despite being toppled by a No-Confidence Motion, have been criticised for seeming reluctant to go to the polls and comply with the Constitution and Court rulings.
“It is the Private Sector’s view that the President, by his behaviour, has put at risk all Private Sector entities and other organisations made subject to contracts and any other action authorised by the Cabinet, by presuming them to be legal. The Private Sector Commission has, therefore, advised its members to seek legal advice in this regard,” the Commission stated.