Gov’t gives $235M to Reg. 10 to construct new RDC HQ that will cost $680M
Feb 27, 2025
Kaieteur News- Four years after making proposals for funds from the government to complete its new headquarters building in Linden, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 has been allocated approximately $235 million this year to execute the works- some $445M less than what is required for the project.
The current office building of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10. (Gov’t gives $235M)
The RDC, however has since advertised for contractors for the project and has invited them to submit bids. The bids will be opened on March 18, 2025 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.
Commenting on this year’s funding for the building, Regional Chairman, Deron Adams told this newspaper that “The RDC has registered serious concern through its Clerk of Council with respect to the inadequate finances budgeted for the construction of its headquarters, since this building had been estimated to cost $680 million as outlined in our 2025 budget requests and had been valued at over $600 million when originally proposed in 2018.”
According to the Chairman, with just one third of that sum allocated means that the requirements for social distancing, safe and comfortable accommodation of their growing staff which currently has several vacancies, and adequate provision of services to the people of Region 10 are all considerations that are being deliberately ignored.
“This is marginalisation at best and discriminatory at worst, so we hold out the hope that this is an oversight that would be remedied by the Ministry of Finance clarifying if additional financing would be made available to address the sum requested,” Adams stated.
Asked if additional financing would be made available, the Chairman added that it is their desire to see all departments operate from the one location. Currently, he said the various departments are operating from various locations in Linden.
It was reported that the new Regional Democratic Council Headquarters will be located at Speightland, Mackenzie, and the decision for a new building emerged from the lack of space to properly accommodate the staff, all the departments that fall within the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the deplorable state of the building.
Delays
Meanwhile, regarding this project, this publication reported previously that at a Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting last year February, it was disclosed that after a contract for the building was initiated in 2017, the project was later terminated in 2021.
It was explained during PAC that in December 2017, the region awarded a contract valued $256 million to Chungs Global for the construction of the Regional Administration building. The project was given 24 months completion time which should have seen the project being completed in December 2019.
However, the project was delayed and given a temporary cease order in March 2018. The project recommenced in January 2019. The Former REO, Orrin Gordon explained during the meeting that when he took up the position of REO, no work was started by March 2018. An engineer from the RDC, Gavin Clarke had clarified at the meeting that when they had ordered the temporary cease work order in 2018, a recommencement order was given to the contractor for the project to be restarted. This occurred on January 31, 2019. Having been given a new commencement date, Clarke said the revised completion date was set for January 18, 2021. Clarke went on to state that with January 31, 2021 being the revised completion date, the letter of termination was issued to the contractor in April 2021.
He explained that in April 2021, upon examination of the works, only 12 percent of the works were done. The current Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John, in his explanation at the time said that the contract was terminated due to poor performance and the percentage of works completed at the time.
Kaieteur News understands that after the termination of the contract in 2021, no other contract was awarded to complete the building. John told the PAC that he made proposals for funds to be set aside to complete the building in the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 budgets but the government did not approve the proposals.
(Gov’t gives $235M to Reg. 10 to construct new RDC HQ that will cost $680M)
(Gov’t gives $235M)
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