The Ministry of Communications and Works anticipates the completion of the Market Square within the first quarter of 2023.
The reveal was made by Deputy Premier, Minister for Communication and Works Honourable Kye Rymer while he addressed the House of Assembly recently.
He said, “The Ministry of Communications and Works commenced in earnest the works at the Market Square in 2021, and we are anticipating the completion of this project will be in the 1st Quarter of 2023. Honourable Members and the public would be pleased to know that to date, we have installed over 1000 linear feet of water lines to ensure that all the kiosks at the Market Square have potable water.”
He added, “We have also installed electrical lines to power the kiosks and the other structures at the Market Square. The drainage system has also been constructed and is in place, and we have installed 15 solar lights for the lighting of the general area. To date, 12 of the 16 kiosks are near to being completed, and the remaining four kiosks are slated to be completed by December 2022.”
Rymer noted that to date, the Bandstand Building has already been completed and is ready to serve as the central gathering point for any events conducted at the Market Square.
Additionally, an 8 stall handicap accessible bathroom facility, bus shed and service access roads are slated for completion by the end of the year.
Rymer noted that the process has been subject to new stipulations and outlines in the new Procurement Act, to which his ministry has adhered by utilising restricted tenders in the bid process.
“The advent of the new Procurement Act requires that a competitive bid process be undertaken, even for petty contracts or works less than $100,000. The Ministry of Communications and Works had been using restricted tenders to engage contractors for works at the Market Square project even prior to the Act coming into force. As part of the requirements of the new procurement legislation, procuring entities such as my ministry are required to use the Contractor database, managed by the Ministry of Finance, to obtain registered contractors who are subsequently invited to bid on petty contract works. To date, the Ministry of Communications and Works have invited over 30 different contractors, taken from the Contractor database, to submit bids for works at the Market Square for six different petty contract works”, he explained.
Rymer also used this opportunity to address the questions being targeted to his ministry in regards to the kiosks, their use and eligibility for renting.
“The Ministry of Communications and Works, along with the Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Hon. Shereen Flax-Charles and other personnel from the Department of Trade, Investment Promotion, and Consumer Affairs have been conducting meetings to develop a comprehensive application and evaluation process whereby interested persons and vendors can apply for one of the 16 kiosks that will be available at the Market Square upon completion. There will be six 10 x 10 kiosks and ten 12 x 12 kiosks upon completion. It is anticipated that by the end of the year, an announcement will be made to the general public for persons to apply for a kiosk and the process that will be followed in allocating them to qualifying applicants”, he said.