Less than a year newly built Leonora dorm to be renovated, extended for estimated $139M

Sep 18, 2024 News

Section of the students’ dormitory at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

Kaieteur News – Less than a year after it was commissioned, the $75 million students’ dormitory at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD) is set to undergo renovation and extension works for approximately $139 million.

This is according to the tender information provided by the Ministry of Education. The project was opened on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board and it was revealed that five contractors submitted bids for the project with the majority bidding above the ministry’s engineer’s $139,635,408 estimate.

The contractors are Momin & Sons Construction; Wazeer Khan & Sons Construction – $274,349,400; AP Building Construction – $146,893,274; ECS Construction & General Supplies- $305,166,583; and Sheriff Construction Inc – $153,365,220.

It was reported that in October 2023, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand commissioned the brand new $75 million Leonora students’ dormitory.

In a statement at the time the ministry said, “With the establishment of the $75 million facility, students in riverine communities will no longer have to travel far distances daily to receive a secondary education. Beneficiaries of the dorms at Leonora include students from Saxacalli, Aliki, Caria Caria, Lanaballi, Upper and Lower Bonasika, Santa Mission, Sand Hills and Hogg Island.”

The commissioned dormitory which is located in the compound of the Leonora Secondary School, at the time was said to be housing 23 students, and consist of living quarters for boys and girls, a kitchen, a dining area, a sick bay, washroom facilities and sleeping quarters.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Education Minister stated that the aim is to ensure that every child is comfortably accommodated while being able to learn. It was said that the building was constructed in keeping with recommendations made in a report conducted on dormitories across the country to ensure they are up to standard.

• extension, Leonora, Ministry of Education, renovation, students dormitory