$365M contract signed for construction of Ministry of Health’s main building

The Ministry of Public Health signed a contract for the construction of the main office building at its Lot 1 Brickdam, Stabroek location.

According to a release from the Ministry of Public Health, the signing took place last week and it was presided over by Permanent Secretary, Collette Adams with the contractor, Cleon Chung, Chief Executive Officer, Chung’s Global Enterprise in the Ministry’s boardroom, Brickdam. The building will be erected at a cost of GY $ 365, 487, 308.

The release noted that the Permanent Secretary explained that the process was an open bidding where contractors were allowed to submit their proposals.  Base on evaluations, few were shortlisted which lead to the subsequent final decision on which company was awarded the contract.

According to the release, the building will be a steel framed, concrete structure which is expected to house the ministers’ secretariat and other departments of the ministry at the said location.

“Adams pointed out that ever since the fire in 2005 which resulted in severe damage to various sections of the main office on Brickdam and a subsequent fire to the Medex annex in Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara in 2014, and the Ministry has since been cramped for space forcing the authorities to rent buildings to house a number of departments and units,” the release noted.

It was noted that the contractors have, within two weeks of the signing of the contracts, to commence construction of the building. According to the release, the Ministry conducted diligent background checks on the construction company to ensure that they have the human resource, and the financial capability to complete the building.