Boundary survey signed for Beal spaceport project
by Sharon Lall
PRIVATE surveying firm, Harrinandan Associates, has been awarded a $17.2M contract payable by Beal to carry out a boundary survey of land earmarked for the commercial spaceport. The Government, through the Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST), yesterday wrapped up talks with Beal paving the way for that company to proceed with surveys of the Primary and Remote sites as well as the additional Buffer area. The survey will be in accordance with Article 5.1 of the Beal Agreement. Head of GOINVEST, Mr Deochand Narain, said Harrinandan Associates, along with CEMCO and Surveying Systems, were invited to submit estimates for the job. Commissioner of Lands and Surveys had originally named five companies capable of doing the survey in a short time span. However, only four met with Narain and among the three which submitted their overall costs, Harrinandan Associates emerged the top taker with a cost of $17,205,214. Narain, who shared a press briefing yesterday with Prime Minister Sam Hinds and others affiliated with the agreement, said Beal agreed to hire the local surveying firm. It intends to pay 60 per cent of the monies following the agreement, and a further 25 per cent when at least 75 per cent of the work is completed. The remaining 15 per cent will be paid upon acceptance of the document pertaining to the finished survey. Beal has until July 11 to transfer to Harrinandan Associates, payment of the first 60 per cent. The boundary survey to be undertaken will not identify anything apart from the boundaries at the Beal site in the North West District, Narain told reporters at the Prime Minister Office in Wight's Lane. He said work will commence a week after the funds are made available to the surveying company, which will have 81 days to complete the task. Mr Devanand Harrinandan, Senior Partner of Harrinandan Associates, said some 40 persons will be included in the survey project. They will function in a minimum of three teams. A majority of the workers will be drawn from the nearby North West area, while more skilled personnel will be taken from Georgetown. Harrinandan, a surveyor for the last 12 years, said his six-year-old company has been doing surveys in several Amerindian regions like St. Cuthbert's village, Red Hill and places in the Rupununi. The company has been active in the demarcation of Amerindian lands, he said. Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who is acting as President, said that Beal will be free to do all of its surveys once the Government delivers to it the marked boundaries on the land allocated for the investment.  Follow the goings-on in Guyana
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