In a press conference held this Wednesday, August 7, the head of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV), Felix Alvarado, said that they reported to the Public ministry (MP) to former officials of that portfolio, for the suspension of the construction of the Hospital in San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango.
Those denounced by the current CIV administration are:
- Javier Maldonado Quiñonez, former minister of the CIV.
- Juan Carlos Alonzo Reyes, former director of State Building Construction Unit (UCEE).
- Carlos Quiñonez Schwank, former Vice Minister of State Buildings and Public Works.
According to Alvarado, former officials of the CIV are reported for the possible commission of the crime of fraud.
The chronology of events presented by the CIV
The portfolio of Communications He explained that this construction project began in 2009, through the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Healththe National Fund for Peace and the Path for the Development of Guatemala Association.
At that time, the year 2011 was set for the completion of the construction. However, it was suspended due to the lack of phase planning, according to a ruling by the General Comptroller’s Office.
In 2014 the project was moved to Ministry of Social Developmentbut due to a complaint in 2016 against the then director of the Social Development Fund (Food) due to irregularities in the project, the project was stopped again.
In 2021, construction resumed again, under the direction of the UCEE and with a different company than the one hired by the Foodbut work was halted again in 2023. The project has been “abandoned” for 12 months, the CIV said.
🚧 The construction of the San Pedro Necta Hospital, started 16 years ago, has faced multiple breaches. The @UCEE_CIV took over the project in 2021 and has found serious deficiencies affecting patients and their families. #Infrastructure #Health pic.twitter.com/dxa00RYC4l
— Ministry of Communications (@CIV_Guatemala) August 7, 2024
The findings detected by the current CIV administration
According to CIVthe initial value of the contract signed in 2021 was Q72,814,335.84. However, there was a 20% increase, through change orders and additional work, which increased to Q87,375,945.39.
“The construction company was given the advance payment of 20% of the contract value on August 25, 2021, for the amount of Q14,562,867.17,” he added.
He also indicated that, as of January 18, 2024, the supervisor reported a construction progress of 90%.
In addition, as of January 18, 2024, the financial status reported, in the system and paid was 90%, he added.
He CIV revealed that the current administration of the UCEE and the Ministry of Health They carried out a technical, financial and legal inspection, which determined that the actual progress of the work is 38%.
Other findings from the CIV
As for construction progress, the CIV determined “various non-compliances, including poor or incomplete hydraulic and drainage installations, which do not allow the functionality necessary for health services.”
“Additionally, a landslide was identified due to a slope cut, due to a failure in saturated soils, coming from the upper part of the mountain adjacent to the project, and incomplete gabions in the lower part to contain the collapse due to soil saturation, which compromises the integrity of the current facilities,” he added.
Patients are treated in a parish
He Ministry of communications He announced that the hospital currently operates in the facilities of the archbishopric, which has 39 beds, “when the diagnosis of the area indicates that the hospital should have at least 103 beds to serve a population of approximately 41,562 people.”
Image Ministry of Communications
“The infrastructure space is insufficient, which limits the installed capacity and generates delays in care. It does not have services for patients in critical condition and has only one operating room available,” revealed the CIV.
The minister of Communications, Felix Alvaradosaid they will launch a new tender in October, to make a new contract and finish the construction of the hospital next year.
Other complaints
Alvarado also denounced the company that signed the contract with the UCEE in 2021, Constructora, Grupo de Análisis, Diseño y Construcción SA; the legal representative, Erick Estuardo Escobar Vargas; the supervisor of the work and “any other individual or legal person, public official or employee who has participated in the execution of this crime.”
#CIV #officials #denounced #suspension #hospital #construction #Huehuetenango
