Reinforced concrete fence for New Opportunity Corps

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has advertised for bidders for a reinforced concrete fence for the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast.

The remedial facility for troubled youth has been hit by a series of problems in recent years including mass break-outs, destruction of facilities and allegations of the abuse of residents of the institution by officials there.

In an advertisement in yesterday’s Guyana Chronicle, the Ministry says the engineer’s estimate for the fence project is $38.9M.

The ministry is also seeking the construction of a chain link fence for the facility. The engineer’s estimate for this is $8.5M

Bids must be addressed to the Chairman, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, Main and Urquhart Sts, Cummingsburg, Georgetown, Guyana. Bids must be delivered on or before Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 9 am.

A long-awaited report on the NOC disturbances of August 2012 is still to be released and charges are pending against officials of the facility in relation to allegations of abuse levelled this year by several girls.

Critics have said that the NOC is not accomplishing its objectives and that the facility needs a complete revamping. However, it seems the ministry is proceeding with its own plans. Prior to the advertisement for the fence, the ministry had also advertised for the construction of a confinement building at the NOC.