Gov’t clarifies funding for Arthur Chung Conference Centre rehabilitation

In a statement on Tuesday clarifying that the rehabilitation of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre is not funded by the government of Guyana, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications has disclosed that the centre will be closed for approximately eighteen (18) months from December 01, 2016 to facilitate US$6.7 million (approximately $1.4 billion) in repairs.

The Ministry says it regrets any inconvenience caused to the many organisations that utilize this facility on a regular basis.

The Ministry debunked reports that the Government of Guyana was prepared to utilize public funds for the imminent rehabilitation which also questioned the Government’s process of prioritisation since other essential services are in need of capital injection.

The Conference Center was constructed and funded entirely by the government of the People’s Republic of China through the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation between 2004 and 2006, this rehabilitation project will be funded entirely by the same means – grant aid, the ministry said.

Guyana’s only financial contribution is the provision of security services on site.

Among works to be completed are the fixing of cracked concrete stairways, upper level floors and ceilings and the foundation and walls along with the replacement of tiles.

In addition to the structural works, the Centre’s back-up power generating system that stopped working some years ago will be replaced as well as the entry gates, the fire alarm and first response systems, the driveway and much of the plumbing.

Indications are that the unaccustomed heavy flow of traffic in the Liliendaal area may not have been factored into the design specifications ten years ago.