The Guyana government and two Trinidad-owned firms yesterday signed contracts to upgrade the arrivals area and the sewerage system of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.
Signing the US$166,890 contract for the design and supervision consultancy for the rehabilitation of the arrivals terminal roof and the remodelling of the arrivals area of the airport was Managing Director of VIKAB Engineering Consul-tants Limited, Hardat Punwasee and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Commu-nications, Kenneth Jordan.
The second contract, valued at $25.5M for the design and supervision consultancy for the rehabilitation of the sewerage system of the CJIA was signed by Jordan and engineer of VIKAB (Guyana) Limited, Rajesh Ramberath.
The signing took place in the office of the Minister of Public Works and Communication, Anthony Xavier. Witnessing the signing was the CJIA Chief Executive Officer, Leon Romero. Funding for the two projects is being provided by the Inter-American Develop-ment Bank.
Jordan said VIKAB Engineering Consultants was selected from among local and international companies in a competitive bidding process.
The consultants will be required to prepare tender documents showing engineering and architectural designs, drawings and estimates for the rehabilitation of the arrivals terminal roof and the remodelling of the arrivals area.
Co-ordinator of the Air Transport Reform Pro-gramme, Doodnauth Sharma told reporters that contractors are being pre-qualified for the construction phase.
He anticipates that actual construction work should begin by the last quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, the consultancy for the rehabilitation of the sewerage system is meant to ensure that the facility at the airport provides for the collection, treatment and discharge of the sewage based on the criteria established by national and international environmental guidelines.
An environmental assessment conducted by a consultant, Law Engineering and Environmental Services, found a number of problems including the blockage and back-flow in the airport terminal toilets; flooding from manholes, and leakages at various points along the main lines.
The schedule of work at the airport must be developed to allow for construction and phasing requirements so that rehabilitation does not affect the operation of the airport.