Over $3 million worth of work now wasted with the recently rehabilitated Barabina Swamp Road in Region One (Barima -Waini) now back to a sludgy trail, and residents are peeved.
Before rehabilitation, during rehbailtation and after rehabiltation
The 200-metre track is constantly inundated, and villagers have grown accustomed to slushing through the water to traverse around the region.
Central Government, through its special initiative aimed at rehabilitating hinterland roads, had allocated some $3 million to fix the road.
Reports indicated that the rehabilitation works were completed sometime in April. During an interview with Guyana Times, Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley explained that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had no knowledge of the undertaking until after works had commenced.
He claimed that the Regional Executive Officer Leslie Wilburg, who has responsibility for the awarding of contracts for the region, was aware that the Public Infrastructure Ministry had committed financial resources for the rehabilitation but failed to inform the council. Ashely said the REO took it upon himself to sole source an inexperienced contractor to carry out the project, and posited that because of the substandard works, the road is back to square one.
“He went around to do the road by sole-sourcing someone who has no engineering idea or technical idea of road construction… when we found out, even though as an RDC and as Regional Chairman, I highlighted that, although I am not an expert in civil engineering, I believe that if we find ways to open avenues for water to have a free flow out of the creek that leads to Barabina through the Kumaka area, it would help to alleviate the flooding that is taking place and damaging the road; and then we can think about rehabilitation with construction,” the Regional Chairman explained.
He posited that the entire undertaking lacked future vision to help ensure the problem is solved and only focused temporary solutions.
Shortly after government announced that the rehabilitation works were completed, a letter to the editor appeared in one of the daily locals, complaining about the substandard work done.
The writer explained that two vehicles were stuck in the road and had to be pulled out by a tractor, and by a pick-up.
Currently, attempts are being made to engage the Public Infrastructure Ministry in an effort to garner assistance and advice on the way forward.
With the rainy season ongoing, residents are worried about the extent to which the heavy showers will compound the situation.
In an effort to provide some relief, the RDC provided the leaders of Barabina some resources to rehabilitate a dilapidated catwalk which can now be utilised as an alternative route to traverse the area.
