Georgetown: Under ‘The Acquisition of Lands for Public Purpose Act’ the Government of Guyana on Thursday signed an order to take full ownership of the Ocean View Hotel.
The order was signed by Former Minister of State Dawn Hastings Williams and is dated April 29. The 5.738 acres of land did not attract it value and cost of acquisition.
The order gave permission to the “Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, together with his agents, servants or workmen” to enter on the land for surveying or otherwise examining such land with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part thereof for public work.
Major renovation is continuing on the former Ocean View Hotel which has been designated as one of the facilities to treat and quarantine patients diagnosed with the coronavirus as authorities here brace for a surge in cases.
The building will be remodeled to house an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a High Dependency Unit (HDU), an operating theatre and a ward set up for patients who are quarantined.
Questions have been raised about the wisdom of using a building such as this for the dedicated COVID-19 hospital given its poor state. Questions have also been asked as to why the terms of the financial arrangement had not been made public and why other buildings or hospitals were not considered.
Early in its life, the APNU+AFC government had attracted strong criticism for its renting of a bond from a supporter of one of its constituents.
In recent years, spring tides have been wreaking havoc from the overtopping. Due to the hotel’s close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, back in 2013, the facility took a hit after high tides resulted in significant damages amounting to millions.
The owner, Jacob Rambarran back then noted that the entire building was flooded within minutes of the risen tide.
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