CJIA EXPANSION: Contract says new terminal building, Guyana gets a refurbished one

President Irfaan Ali (Centre) Chinese Ambassador and CJIA CEO Ramesh Geer

Visibly disappointed, President Irfaan Ali on Monday made it clear to Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun and representatives of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), that his government and the Guyanese people will only accept the works that were outlined in the original contract between Guyana and China Harbour.

Ali, who brought his experience to bear, stopped the CHEC representative in his tracks, as he sought to tell the president that after the contract was signed, there were other works which needed to be done following an assessment.

“No, no this is fixed price contract, and that is not how it works. A fixed price contract means that you examine all the works which have to be done before you sign on to the contract. So please, let’s get that clear,” President Ali asserted.

As part of the contract, the Chinese company was expected to tear down the existing terminal building, and construct a new one which could accommodate eight air bridges. But what the contract actually did, was facilitate the refurbishing of the terminal building and installation of only four bridges.

The President said the Guyana Government is aiming to have a collective approach with the Chinese company and Ambassador to ensure that Guyana gets value for money.

At the meeting today, which was held before a walkthrough at the CJIA, the president asked for a total outline of the original contract, and pricing as against what Guyana was given.

It was also during the meeting that it was made clear that the sewerage system at the facility is non-operational, as it has to be shut down every time it is put into use.

The original contract should have seen 17,000 square feet of work, but currently there is only an existing 6,000 square feet – an alarming difference of 11,000 square feet, either undone or excluded completely.

President Ali hinted during his meeting that an investigation is likely to be launched into the entire airport expansion project.

The project manager, contractor and engineer of the project could not tell the president the original price for each square metre of work that had to be done at the airport.

The Chinese Ambassador assured the president that he would use his office to ensure that Guyana gets exactly what it paid for, and that China Harbour delivers in accordance with its contract signed with Guyana.

At the of it all, the project manager confirmed that aspects of the airport expansion were downplayed and omitted and monies diverted elsewhere. She also admitted that substantial works were only done in areas where the public have access to.

That include the baggage area, arrival and departure areas and viewing gallery.

It was also pointed out that Guyana is currently paying the contractor for delay in aspects of the contract execution while the contractor inturn has not been paying for delays to the project which are caused by the company itself.