Gov’t gets thumbs up from Region Three contractors for creating job opportunities

Essequibo Islands/West Demerara (Region Three) contractors have expressed thanks to the government for ensuring infrastructural development and creation of job opportunities in the region.

It was noted that the contractors shared their appreciation at a simple contract signing ceremony at the Regional Democratic Council on Monday. A total of some $209,207,345 was distributed in contracts by the ministry.

Fiaz Khan, Managing Director of A&N Enterprise who was awarded a contract to reconstruct the old Zeelugt Primary School was quoted as saying, “I feel very excited and honoured to be working for the Government of Guyana and especially Region Three, because I am a resident of Region Three. I welcome that because I, myself am a person who advocate for those things, people who living in the community they get jobs that cause them to develop themselves. I personally have people who working with me from that area so, I am already there.”

Imtiaz Zafurallah, Managing Director of AMIC General Contracting Services, expressed similar sentiments. He promised to hire persons from within the community of Goed Fortuin to be on his team. “It is good to be awarded this project because I am a resident of Region Three and also, we will be looking to hire people from the community. As minister Edghill had said earlier when he signed the Mabura road to engage the people from the communities. So, I am looking forward to engage the people from the communities,” Zafurallah assured.

Chandrachur Persaud, another contractor, who is the owner of C.Persaud and Son Construction and Supply Services was awarded a contract to rehabilitate a sluice within his community of Zeelandia, Wakenaam Island. He stressed that it is better to give someone from the community a job than to bring someone who resides elsewhere. “It is very nice that they involve people from right in the community because it doesn’t make sense to bring people from West Coast and you have people right there. I have my foreman, everybody from right there, the staff is right from the island actually right in the village. So, I am happy about that, they can keep getting work,” Persaud explained.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, appealed to contractors to hire persons from within the respective communities. “Part of our [government’s] commitment is to have people from within the regions do many of these projects. I am happy to report if not all the projects, then more than 90 per cent of the big projects in Region Three are done by contractors of Region Three,” Dharamlall said.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube noted that the government’s agenda is to enhance the livelihood of citizens countrywide inclusive of Region Three. “This is an initiative and a promise by our government to the people across this country. The primary objective is to execute government’s plans and policies. The policy of the government is to enhance the lives of all people across this country inclusive of Region Three,” the Regional Chairman said.

Omesh Satyanand, Vice Chairperson promised that the regional administration will ensure that government projects and services are delivered in a timely manner to ensure its commitment to improve residents’ livelihoods is fulfilled. He urged contractors to execute their tasks well. “We look forward to see that the contractor gives us quality work based on the bill of quantity, and the project scope. We are expecting that quality work should be delivered so that our residents can be comfortable, and the regional administration by large be comfortable with the work you are doing,” Vice Chairman Satyanand declared.