MoH re-tenders for infrastructure works after cancelling contracts of underperforming contractors – Great Diamond Housing Scheme

– works ongoing on Craig-to-Land of Canaan highway

In efforts to address infrastructure delays affecting about 21 per cent of allottees of Blocks One and Seven at Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (ECD), the Housing Ministry is moving to terminate underperforming contractors and re-tender the works so that allottees can gain access to their lands.
Ministers Collin Croal and Vanessa Benn, along with Deputy Director of Projects at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Intakab Indarjeet, and engineers, visited the area on Thursday to inspect ongoing works.
“It’s not the entire Blocks One and Seven that are inaccessible. It’s only sections within those two blocks that are affected, as some beneficiaries have already identified their house lots through the Ministry,” Minister Croal stated in a social media post.

Block One comprises 1018 lots, with lots 493–677 affected, while Block Seven contains 725 lots, with lots 31–220 impacted.
The re-tender process is underway and is expected to open by the second week of March, with contracts likely to be awarded by the end of March. Once awarded, contractors will mobilise to commence infrastructure works.
To ensure transparency, the Ministry will keep all affected allottees informed so they can track when access to their lands becomes available.
Minister Croal emphasised that the action taken at Great Diamond demonstrates the Ministry’s firm approach to contractor performance and its commitment to delivering serviced house lots to Guyanese.

Meanwhile, the Minister also inspected ongoing works at the four-lane highway from Craig to Land of Canaan, EBD, and engaged Project Manager Ramachandar Rao of Ashoka Buildcon Ltd, whose team continues to work day and night to advance Lot 1 of the project.
The new highway will connect to the recently commissioned Great Diamond to Craig Highway, which is also connected to the Heroes Highway. The distance from Great Diamond to Craig is approximately 4.2 kilometres (km), while the new section extending to Land of Canaan will cover about 11.3 km.
Currently, the Ogle to Eccles four-lane highway is connected to the Heroes Highway. Future plans also include linking the new Craig to Land of Canaan highway to the Ogle Highway, as well as an expansion to create a faster route to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri.
Simultaneously, works are ongoing on the main EBD Public Road from Good Success to Timehri. However, these works have been causing major traffic congestion along the EBD road, with commuters complaining about the inconvenience of being stuck in traffic for hours almost on a daily basis.