Contract sealed for revamping of Linden call centre

From left are Head of Industry and Innovations, Lance Hinds; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Derrick Cummings ; Chief Executive Officer, M&P Investments Inc, Pierre Walcott and Donna Rickford, Director, M&P Investments. (DPI photo)
From left are Head of Industry and Innovations, Lance Hinds; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Derrick Cummings ; Chief Executive Officer, M&P Investments Inc, Pierre Walcott and Donna Rickford, Director, M&P Investments. (DPI photo)

The Ministry of Public Telecommunications and M&P Investments Incorporated have signed a $116 Million contract for the renovation of the old call centre in Linden.

A release yesterday from the Department of Public Information (DPI) said that at least 150 seats will be available initially with a long-term goal of providing 300 jobs for Lindeners. This is according to the ministry’s Head of Industry and Innovations, Lance Hinds.

He said that yesterday’s contract signing was a step toward fostering the use of ICT for national development and economic advancement.

“The next step is to begin to engage either a local entity based in Linden or any other company interested in helping us run the call centre to make sure we get the employment we are looking for. So we really hope that a local company in Linden could take this on but if that doesn’t happen we will have a company come in and co-manage with us,” Hinds said.

Chief Executive Officer of M&P Investments Inc., Pierre Walcott has committed to having this aspect of the project completed on schedule.

“What I must say is thank you to the Ministry of Telecommunications for having that confidence in M&P Investment to execute such a project and our company will be dedicated to ensuring that we give you quality and to give you this project within a timely manner”, he said.

April 2020 is the completion date.

The signing of major contracts by the caretaker APNU+AFC government has raised concerns about whether this is now outside of its authority.