Blog

Speaking to the Department of Public Information at the Watooka Guest House in Linden, Brian Mcrae, owner of JA Mcrae Construction and Auto Repairs, said the session is an important initiative in educating local contractors about the procurement process.

“There are quite a number of people who do not understand the procurement system and how to do tenders. So, this session will give them an idea of what they need to understand in order to be successful. The folks who are really interested in learning, this will greatly benefit them,” he said.

Mcrae added that the restrictive tendering process is a ‘blessing’, as it provides employment opportunities for Lindeners, and allows them to contribute to the development of their communities.

“That is a blessing because Linden has a history where a lot of people would not have the equipment or the knowledge, and they would not be able to get the work. So, this is a blessing, it will be a way to build up the smaller folks and give them an idea of how to better themselves,” he noted.

For Yannick Nedd, who is the owner of Energy Empire, these sensitisation sessions are crucial to ensure that all persons have an equal chance in the bidding process.

“I think it was a great meeting for Lindeners. It was a good highlight to let the people know the basic aspects of tendering. Simple things like being a minute late can cost you, and these are some of the key things they highlighted today,” he expressed.

“What you find most of the time is that we have situations where the big names keep popping up, and when a contract goes out for road in a community, these big contractors are there. Doing it this way is a great way to empower Lindeners, not only financially, but by giving them the experience and the knowledge, to get them in a position to become successful. So, we really appreciate this,” he added.

Violet Canes, owner of VK Building Constructions shared similar sentiments, “I think it’s great. I was thinking that for years, in every village there is a contractor or someone who does construction works, so it is a great help to have people in the village doing their own work, because they know what needs to be developed and where it is.”

Meanwhile, Cedric Peters shared that the training and the efforts being made by government to ensure that locals are employed on the projects within their communities are empowering.

Peters noted, “Contractors are guaranteed to have work to do in Linden. At least we will have something to put into our pockets.”

Similarly, Erold Roethof pointed out, “As new contractors, this is something that we have been looking for. The minister explained the different stages that the contracts have to go through before you can get it, this is something we appreciate. We are new, and we are learning, so it is a very good initiative, because a lot of sensitising is being done. Some of us never knew that we had to get these things before becoming a contractor, so this is a very good thing for the Lindeners, and there are a lot of contracts to come onboard, and this is a good way to start.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, said the session forms part of a three-pronged approach to development in the region by empowering local contractors, creating employment for people in the communities, and providing a more efficient way to execute the projects in the region.

“Whenever we are doing work within a particular community, we want to ensure that the work is given for people in that community to participate in that process. We want to ensure that we spread the work around, as wide as possible, and the intention is for us to ensure that this work is completed by the end of the year,” the minister stated.

A drastic reduction in transportation costs, faster and more comprehensive diagnoses, reduced patient transfers, and better emergency care are just some of the benefits that residents of Diamond and the surrounding areas can now expect.

This comes following the commissioning of a new digital X-ray machine, valued upwards of $100 million, at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre on Saturday by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

Giving brief remarks following the ribbon-cutting, Minister Anthony said the addition of the X-ray machine will complement the two machines already purchased and placed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in Georgetown, last year.

“What these machines would help us to do, apart from taking the images of the patients, one of our big challenges was how we store the X-rays after we would have taken them. With the analogue form of X-rays, we had to create huge rooms to keep these X-rays. But now, all of this can be stored on a hard drive, and we can retrieve them when it’s necessary,” he explained.

He also noted that the electronic format of the X-ray images taken by the machine allows the files to be easily shareable with radiologists at the GPHC, so that where necessary, they can be viewed, and diagnoses made.

A viewing station was also established in the hospital’s accident and emergency room.

“Of course, these images can move around quite easily. They are quite portable, and you can send them on your phone so that people can have access to them quite easily. So, I think it’s a good step for this hospital, and we are moving in the right direction,” Minister Anthony expressed.

He also noted that by the end of the year, the Ministry of Health is looking to have 10 similar X-ray machines installed across Guyana.

“This (Siemens) is one of the best X-ray systems, and… it is helping to improve healthcare, so that is why we are making these investments,” he said.

Immediately after the commissioning, 44-year-old Kerry Sauers became the first patient to benefit from the hospital’s new X-ray machine. He explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) that he had injured himself when a roof caved in and fell onto his back.

“Two days now, I’m troubling with a pain… The ceiling for the house fall down and catch me and pin me, and that’s what made me really come…I couldn’t walk good. Only this morning I end up being able to walk, and I come. When I go in there, the doctor told me it’s better I do an X-ray,” he explained.

He described the process as an easy one.

“It will help, because… more people will get to be x-rayed. When you come, you will not have to wait, because… many people have things and they don’t know it’s what, so it’s a very good thing for the hospital, too,” he shared.

Regional Health Officer (RHO) for Region Four, Dr. Gavinash Persaud, said sufficient work was put into getting the X-ray facilities aptly modified.

“The process to get here has been a long one, and finally we are here. This is part of the expansion in which we are digitalising our records. So, the X-ray is completely functional. It required a lot of infrastructural development… to get it here, and the last thing we did was fine-tune it, so that we receive support from Georgetown Hospital,” he relayed.

Thus far, New Amsterdam, Mibikuri, Port Mourant, Suddie, Linden, West Demerara, Mahaicony, Fort Wellington, Port Kaituma, and Lethem have been earmarked to receive digital X-ray machines.