• Contract signed for rehabilitation of Practical Instruction Departments in Bartica and Mabaruma

(February 18, 2019) – The Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program that is offered in Regions One and Seven will be improved with the signing of a $114M contract signed today between the Ministry of Education and the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc.

The contract falls under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP) which is being financed by funding the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education secured from the Caribbean Development Bank in an amount equivalent to US$12,252,000.

Under the Enhance Learning Component, the Design and Construction Supervision Services – Lot A, Bartica Secondary School Practical Instruction Department (Region Seven, Bartica) and Northwest Secondary School Practical Instruction Department (Region One, Mabaruma) were air marked to be done.

According to the GSDEP Project Coordinator, Mr. Theron Siebs, the objective is to refurbish and retrofit the two departments with the aim of enhancing the quality of TVET in Guyana and to bridge the disparity between the coast and the hinterland.

The Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc. will execute under the contract, the preparation of final designs and provide construction supervision services for the expansion and refurbishment of the facilities and to prepare maintenance plans for those facilities.

Mr. Siebs explained that once the designs are completed, it is hoped to get a contractor by September of this year to begin construction work on those facilities.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Adele Clarke, who signed on-behalf of the Ministry, said that among the benefits of the project, the improved Practical Instruction Departments (PIDs) will offer Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ level one and two) training in seven areas.

These areas are commercial food preparation, masonry/plumbing, electrical installation, furniture making/carpentry and joinery, light motor vehicle repairs, home economic/housekeeping and welding and fabrication.

Ms. Clarke said that she is looking forward to a cordial and working relationship with the consultants which will ensure that any hiccups are ironed out quickly so that the project can be completed within timelines.

Managing Director of the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc., Mr. Ramon Latchmansingh said that the company is pleased to have finally signed the contract to get on-board.

He said that the two regions are not new to the company since they would have done other prior work. He added that timelines are going to be strict because of the stringent requirements for experience.

Mr. Latchmansingh said that he also looks forward to completing the job with a high professional standard and to bring it within the budgets the Ministry has identified.
Further, he said that as a firm, the entity is happy to be involved in the education sector. Mr. Latchmansingh noted that he has gradually seen the skills set which the project will target, disappear.

He said, “We have a big problem in terms of the skills set that will be focused on. We are headed in the right direction because we need to fill that gap. The focus of replacing those skills is important to the country’s development”.

Source: Ministry of Education