President slams road project contractors over delays, quality
Stabroek News
July 22, 2004
President Bharrat Jagdeo (third from right) and Public Works Minister, Anthony Xavier (second from right) discussing a new bridge under construction. (GINA photo)
President Bharrat Jagdeo has urged contractors and managers on road projects on the East Coast and West Berbice to produce better work with minimal inconvenience.
Government is investing millions into its public sector investment programme and expects quality for its money, the President was quoted as saying to contractors in a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Accompanied by Works Minister Anthony Xavier on an inspection tour of the East Coast Demerara on Tuesday, the President first stopped at the Ogle and Mahaica bridges and at several places along the road where there appeared to be substandard work. He said the visit was to impress on the contractor the need to get quality work delivered on time, with the least inconvenience to the public.
Under a US$22M bridges programme, new bridges are being built at Mahaica and Mahaicony, along with several others between Timehri and Rosignol.
The project is funded by the government through a loan obtained from the Inter-American Development Bank.
German-based company DYWIDAG is contracted to execute the job with sub-contractors being Courtney Benn Contracting Services and Dipcon.
According to GINA, Civil Engineer Falk Trampel, project manager of DYWIDAG, said the bridge across the Mahaicony River will meet its year-end deadline, but the one at Mahaica will not be completed until March.
The President responded that time was critical as a cost is attached to any lapse. He added that the Ministry of Works technical staff would have to assess the works against the contractual obligations.
GINA noted that at Mahaica, workers are currently swamping the area to prepare it for pile driving which should start within the next month when the pile launcher arrives in the country.
On the West Coast Berbice work is progressing smoothly, the release said, adding that sections of the road were already completed.
Rickford Lowe, coordinator of the Works Services Group at the ministry, said the bridge at Ogle will not be completed by its November deadline.
Lowe said a proposal is under consideration for a project extension until March. He said this was justifiable since the project originally comprised about 50 structures and this has been extended to 84 without additional cost.
Commenting on the many complaints by commuters of traffic congestion, Jagdeo told the contractors that they had to find ideas on how this can be minimised since it is not acceptable.
East Bank commuters have been having a hard time but the situation has eased a little with the recent opening of a four-lane section.
The President also took the opportunity to examine the deliverables of the US$22M road project being executed by Trinidadian Company Dipcon.
Jagdeo lambasted the work done in some sections with regard to paving the road. The President pointed to the cracks on the road shoulders at various points along the East Coast and West Berbice.
Project Manager Gerald Webb said works were not yet completed and Dipcon will ensure that the road is properly done.
Some contractors have complained of setbacks because of the shortage of bitumen in Guyana. Jagdeo has since appointed a cabinet committee on materials management.