$114M contract inked to improve quality of TVET in Regions One and Seven

Feb 19, 2019 News

To the tune of $114M, a contract was yesterday signed by the Ministry of Education and the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc. to help improve the Technical Vocational Education and Training [TVET] programme that is offered in Regions One and Seven. The contract falls under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project [GSDEP], which is being financed by funding from government, through the Ministry of Education, secured from the Caribbean Development Bank in an amount equivalent to US$12,252,000.
Under the Enhanced 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 earmarked 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 prepare maintenance plans for those facilities.

[Seated from left] GSDEP Project Coordinator, Mr. Theron Siebs, looks on as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Adele Clarke, and Managing Director of the Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc., Mr. Ramon Latchmansingh, sign the contract.

Siebs explained that once the designs are completed, it is hoped that a contractor will be acquired 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.
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 prior work. He added that timelines are going to be strict, because of the stringent requirements for experience.
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 skill set which the project will target, disappear.
He said, “We have a big problem in terms of the skill 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.”

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News