Opposition Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan has raised questions about the structural integrity of the incomplete $87.8 million multipurpose hall at Mongrippa Hill, Bartica, saying that work is continuing despite defects reportedly identified by the Audit Office.
Duncan, who visited the site on September 12 with APNU MP Juretha Fernandes, described the structure as an “ugly monstrosity” and called on the government to disclose whether the remedial work now being undertaken was approved by a qualified structural engineer.
According to Duncan, the two MPs had previously visited the project in January, when the site appeared abandoned and there was no contractor or active construction work.
Although work has since resumed, he said, progress over the intervening eight months appeared to consist largely of the installation of steel columns and roofing components.
Fernandes, Duncan said, had noted that the Audit Office flagged structural defects at the facility. He alleged that the original foundation, which was improperly cast, had not been removed.
Instead, according to the MPs, another foundation was built around the original one and steel components are now being used to connect the two structures.
Duncan said vegetation, including a sizeable plant, could still be seen growing between the two foundations while construction continued. He contended that the arrangement appeared intended to brace the original structure, the integrity of which had already been questioned.
“The Government must disclose whether a qualified structural engineer approved this remedial design and accepts professional responsibility for its safety,” Duncan said.
He also called for the findings on the original defects to be made public, along with the additional cost of the corrective work and information on whether the contractor had been sanctioned.
Duncan said residents should not be expected to use the building unless its structural integrity had been independently assessed and certified.
The project dates back to May 2023, when the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport invited contractors to bid for the construction of multipurpose halls in five regions.
The Department of Public Information reported at the time that the proposed Mongrippa Hill facility carried an engineer’s estimated cost of $87.8 million. Similar halls were planned for Mabaruma, Leonora, Mahdia and Lethem, with estimated costs ranging from $87.8 million to $94.7 million.
The facilities were intended to expand access to indoor sporting and community activities, particularly in hinterland and riverine communities.
Stabroek News reported in February this year that several of the planned facilities remained incomplete because of contractor delays and logistical difficulties.
A separate tender was issued by the ministry in November 2025 for the procurement and installation of fixed metal bleachers with retractable seats at the Mongrippa Hill hall, although the main structure was still incomplete.
Duncan also complained that construction had deprived residents of the use of an active community ball field previously used for cricket, football and other recreational activities.
“The field is now unusable, while the community remains without the completed multipurpose facility it was promised,” he said.
He accused the government of failing to hold contractors, supervising officers and other responsible officials accountable when defects and delays emerge on publicly funded projects.
Duncan said he and Fernandes would continue to monitor the project and seek information on its design, expenditure, safety and proposed completion date.
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