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By Annette Ferguson MP- It is necessary that I revisit the proposed construction of this long anticipated twelve-story office complexes. I am yet to be proven otherwise by Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, MP as it relates to the construction of the “12-Storey Office Complexes,” for which the sum of $7.6B has been approved by the National Assembly between the period, February 2022, February 2023 and February 2024. November 7, 2024 marked exactly two months since my last visit to the project site and subsequent letters to your column.
I have been navigating through areas in the city and what I observed, many buildings constructed just after the commissioning or sod turning for the construction of a ‘Sheraton Four Points Hotel” on the Mandela-Eccles Road Link. Just to name a few; “Aiden by Western situated at the corners of Robb and Oronoque Streets, Bourda; completed, commissioned and currently in operations; at the corners of Quamina and Waterloo Streets, Cummingsburg, a huge hotel is being constructed, which appears to my estimation about 80% completed.
The Sheraton Four Points which commenced construction around 2022 seems to be struggling. Though we were told this is a private investor’s project, to which no names of its principal(s) were ever made public. We are all aware that any investor investing in such a project, where some US$35M is involved with additional support from IDB investment lately will be pushing to ensure completion of the project, to enjoy returns. Minister Oneidge Waldron should provide an update, since hotel operations fall in the ambit of her Ministry.
On September 25, 2024, Stabroek News carried an article via a press statement from Bishop Edghill’s office headed, ‘Edghill rebuts opposition concerns about $1.58b gov’t office complex.’ The essence of Mr. Edghill’s statement suggested that my assertions regarding the diversion of the monies for this project were misleading. He then made several attempts without any form of evidence to give the public an impression that there is full transparency and accountability.
Well, I beg to differ with Bishop Edghill, since I hold dearly to my earlier views that this project seems to be a ‘mysterious one, shrouded in secrecy and corruption.’ I pray this project will not experience a similar fate as the “Amaila Falls project, fiber optic cable project and the Gas to Energy project; for which loans and taxpayers monies were paid out, defaulters walked freely, without actions taken against them and the nation suffered.
Furthermore, the press release by Bishop Edghill stated that ‘materials for the superstructure are being fabricated off site out of the jurisdiction.’ What is troubling to me, is that Bishop Edghill, being a man of the cloth, whose values and principles should be on ‘TRUTH’ has failed miserably in convincing the nation. To prove any doubts or suspicions by myself or other colleagues in the Opposition, I expected the goodly man of the cloth to call a “press conference,” other than publishing a “press release.”
This method would have allowed for answers to be provided, and for Bishop Edghill and TEAM at the Ministry of Public Works to showcase using technology to highlight images of the factory where the steel frames are being fabricated offsite, name of the company and perhaps shipment of the materials. None of this was done, save and except for images depicting what the final product for the complexes will look like after completion, in the press release.
As the old adage goes, ‘a picture tells a thousand stories.’ A recent visit was made to the proposed site on November 7, 2024, to get a sense of what is happening with this ‘mystery project, (my own words) involving $7.6B of taxpayers money.’ I was appalled to see what is currently taking place. For ongoing construction, linking Ogle-Eccles aggregates are being stockpiled on the very project site designated for the construction of the office complexes. What Bishop Edghill stated in the press release is far from what is actually on the ground.
I will not allow differences of explanations or opinions provided by Bishop Edghill to persuade my thoughts. As a layman, with some knowledge of construction; a structure of this kind, preparatory works are not only done on fabrication of steel frames, or sand filling. What about the foundation, which entails drilling of huge lumber piles in the ground, then casting of the foundation, which is the base for assembling and installing of steel frames; whenever they arrive in the country.
To prove me right, I encourage your publication to dispatch its reporters with cameras, and conduct a survey on ongoing projects along the Heroes Highway, using steel frames as superstructures. Who is Bishop Edghill trying to make a fool?
This issue on the construction of the office complexes has been a controversial one, and reported on several times in the media, which should be a major concern to the PPPc Government’s chief spokesman, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who speaks on all conceivable matters, but never expressed an interest in the slothful pace at which this particular project is moving; at his weekly press conferences. This is telling!
Once again, I am appealing to Bishop Edghill to come clean on the $7.6B office complexes for Government use. In my previous letter, I put several questions to the goodly gentleman, who I perhaps found it unnecessary ‘not to be or give’ account for TAXPAYERS’ money.
In conclusion, I am positive that on reading this Bishop Edghill will take timeout from his busy schedule and host a press conference to address the questions published in September 2024. Those questions still remain relevant and appropriate responses should be provided. For transparency, from my end, please see attached, recent images of the project site for which $7.6B paid out and works have not commenced.
