Even more opportunities in PPP’s next term for small & medium contractors – VP

– as more climate resilient, family friendly infrastructure to be built in communities

Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that even more opportunities will be available for small and medium sized contractors in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) next term in office, with the party having numerous plans to make communities around the country more child and family friendly, as well as more climate resilient. During his most recent press conference, the VP spoke about the PPP/C’s plans for not only communities, but also for small and medium scale contractors. He was at the time referring to his recent visit to Linden, where he spoke with numerous youths about the opportunities for them.

According to Jagdeo, the PPP/C’s plans to make communities more family friendly and climate resilient, will bring with it many opportunities for small and medium contractors… particularly in the party’s next term in office, with the September 1st General and Regional elections less than three months away.
“We’ve practically completed most community roads in the coastal Guyana. And because of that success, we now have to think about in the next term in office, how we will continue to empower people. Small contractors, medium scale contractors, by developing a public works programme that will be beneficial to the people of Guyana, that will allow us to extend these opportunities,” Jagdeo said.
“So, climate resilient communities, communities with recreational facilities, with good roads, proper drainage, better garbage disposal facilities, all of these are part of the plan for the next term. And it would create many opportunities for people who are working, small contractors, but also large ones.”

Climate resilient infrastructure refers to works that are designed and built to weather the impacts of climate change, including flooding and temperature increases. With the coastal regions of Guyana lying below sea level, there is an increased focus on such infrastructure.
Examples of this include the US$75.8 million East Bank Demerara (EBD) Road improvement project currently being constructed, with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Section A of this project covers the stretch from Good Success, beginning at the Ganga Temple, to Supply, while Section B extends from Supply to the Soesdyke Junction. The construction is being done by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), with Sheladia Associates Incorporated as the supervisory firm.
“That’s why we’ve given the challenges of Guyana. We’re below sea level. Given climate change, we need better drainage in communities. We’ve selected the building of concrete drains in communities as a major area for massive infrastructure work in the next Government.”
“So that if the roads are completed, in the communities, the drains are completed, we’ll have better drained communities,” Jagdeo further detailed.
Added to this are the Government’s plans to expand child and family friendly recreational facilities in all the villages and city wards, as well as ensure that communities have proper lighting and security cameras, no doubt part of the safe country initiative.
The PPP/C Government has made notable efforts to increase the pool of contractors, ensuring that small and medium scale contractors have an increased share. These steps include the removal of the two per cent bid bond requirement, allowing contractors working on projects below $15 million more opportunities to bid. Small contracts that fall below the $15 million margin range from weeding and cleaning to civil works and even the construction of roads. Among the criteria the PPP/C Government had changed to grant more opportunities to small contractors had been the requirement of three-to-five-years’ experience.
It was revealed since the middle of last year that under the PPP/C Government, 2000 new small contractors have been registered and become involved in the procurement system… a number that has only grown.