An employee attached to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was injured after he fell through the floor of the dilapidated building in a construction zone.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, came up for discussion during the Council’s statutory meeting where it was revealed that the worker suffered a fractured wrist.
Reports are that the employee, Michael Fraser, was walking within the City Engineering Department when he stepped on a board that was marked for removal.
The boards missing from the flooring after the incident (Andrew Weekes photo)
As he stepped on the board, it snapped under his weight, causing him to fall one storey down where he landed on the first floor of the building. The man was treated at a city hospital.
When contacted, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton said the matter is engaging his attention and that officers will be dispatched to City Hall to conduct an investigation.
The City Hall building is long overdue for rehabilitation works. The structure has suffered much neglect over the years even though millions of dollars have been allocated to facilitate repairs, including some $20 million in 2012.
In August, it was announced that a project to restore it to its former glory was in the works, with tenders for a contract that will cost over $600 million being opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
According to the particulars of the contract, which the tender documents state is being executed under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, it is estimated that restoring City Hall will cost $630.4 million. Three companies bid for the contract when the bids were opened: Fides Guyana Incorporated, Bulk & Timber Works Incorporated and OM Custom Wood Working & Restoration.
In May of this year, Central Government had also given City Hall a $30 million injection into the coffers of the Mayor and Councillors of the city of Georgetown. This money was intended to support the construction of an administrative building for that entity.
