Homeless to get skills training at Onverwagt centre - as finishing touches ongoing for December operations
Georgetown, GINA, September 13, 2012 -- Source - GINA
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is working closely with the contractor of the Centre of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration, located at Onverwagt, Region Five to ensure optimum value of its investment and timely delivery.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer
Webster during her visit and tour of the Centre of
Rehabilitation and Reintegration
This $402M investment, a collaborative venture between the Government of Guyana and Venezuela will accommodate over 180 homeless persons.
On Wednesday, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Loraine Baird and Senior Engineer, Ministry of Public Works, Walter Willis met with Kares Engineering representatives at the Centre to discuss the progress of the five- building complex.
The Centre of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration located
at Onverwagt, Region Five
Minister Webster during a tour of the facility stated that she is very pleased with the works done so far, and expressed her profound gratitude to the Government of Venezuela for its assistance.
She stated that programmes will be implemented to help those persons that would be rehabilated through skills training.
The male dormitory
The complex comprises two dormitories, an administrative building which houses the training centre, library and, an infirmary and rooms for persons with communicable diseases and disabilities, Administrative residence for doctors and, an administrator who will be living within the facility, and other staff who will assist including a maintenance superintendent responsible for the maintenance work. There is a separate building for security personnel.
The female dormitory
Residents will take their meals which will be provided by Government in the mess hall. In addition, a 50KBA generator will be installed to provide electricity back-up support.
The Administrative Building which houses the training centre,
library and, an infirmary
While 90 percent of the work is completed, there is still some structural work that has to be done, such as the parking area, electrical work by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and landscaping. Furnishings also have to be provided for the facility.
Following the termination of several contractors, who were awarded different phases of the project, Kares Engineering was then awarded the job in April 2011.
The mess hall
Willis stated that the present contractor went above the contracted completion time and it is still undecided whether measures will be put in place to implement liquidated damage. Inclement weather earlier in the year and payment delays contributed to the delay in the project.
Willis stated that over $38M is yet to be recovered from contractors, whose contracts were terminated in 2010 and, Government is still to decide what actions will be taken on these contractors.
The security hut
The facility is expected to completed by the end of this month and formally become operational by December.
