Cemetery Road Project: MoPW to monitor ongoing work to enforce compliance with 3-week deadline – Min. Edghill

…3rd sub-contractor added to team to fast-track project

Determined to ensure the Cemetery Road project is finally completed after facing several delays, the Public Works Ministry is now strictly monitoring ongoing works to ensure the three-week deadline is met.
Guyana Times was told that a senior engineer from the Ministry’s Engineering/Projects Department is spearheading this undertaking.
This comes days after Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced that two sub-contractors were hired to assist the default company – Avinash Construction and Metal Works – to complete the project.
On Thursday, the minister visited the area to inspect ongoing works to ensure contractors are working to meet the new deadline. Whilst there, he emphasised that ‘even a single day’s delay would not be tolerated.
In fact, following a rigorous review process, an additional sub-contractor has been approved to bolster the efforts of the main contractor.

“There will be a third subcontractor starting work this evening (Thursday) from the police outpost back to Mandela Avenue to get rid of all the debris and ensure the shaping of the shoulders and everything,” the Minister disclosed.
Edghill also told the Guyana Times that the senior engineer tasked with monitoring the project is among multiple representatives from his ministry who will be at the site daily.
“The two subcontractors are knowledgeable of what they have to do. They are getting on with their work. I put on the site as well, apart from the project engineer, a very senior engineer is seeing this project through for the next few weeks to make sure it is complete,” he added.
Avinash Construction and Metal Works was on Monday summoned to a meeting and agreed to a ‘Programme of Execution’, which requires the company to pay the sub-contractors for their work.

At the time, Edghill disclosed that all the parties involved had approximately three weeks to complete the much-anticipated project. He explained that the decision was made given that the pertinent piece of infrastructure is one year behind. To date, it stands at 70 per cent complete.

“A sub-contractor will complete the Princes Street bridge; another sub-contractor will build the culverts at Sussex Street and all the other remedial works including paving will be executed by Avinash. Everybody has the same timeline and the monies that will be paid to the sub-contractors will be deducted from the sum of the contract Avinash bid for.”
According to Edghill, the Government’s evaluators decided against terminating the contract with Avinash Construction and Metal Works since the company had significantly advanced works, despite its slow pace.
Nevertheless, he said the government has already pursued liquidated damages from the contractor for the delays suffered in the execution of the contract.
The $475 million project will see the two-lane carriageway being extended into four lanes. When completed, it is expected to significantly alleviate traffic congestion.
Edghill said no further delay will be tolerated given that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration has already committed to the residents of the East and West Ruimveldt.
“I can’t deem it as a further extension because they have already been charged liquidated damages as expected… We apologise to the people for the inconvenience they have been suffering as a result of this lagging project but we are determined to get it finished”.
“I am saying it here loud and clear; we will not allow that contractor to continue to frustrate the people of East and West Ruimveldt. We will have to take over the project and we will finish Cemetery Road,” the Minister stressed. (Trichell Sobers)