Stemming from several discussions with Councillors, Regional Democratic Council’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Pauline Lucas, has revealed that the contractor who failed to meet the specifications of the Supply Health Centre project, will have to redo all the inferior works.
The REO sought the intervention of the Public Infrastructure Ministry with regards the testing of the foundation, along with the University of Guyana, whose results differed.
On Wednesday, in a statement to the media, the REO said the Infrastructure Ministry had given the green light for the foundation, however, another test conducted by the University of Guyana showed that the foundation had not met the required PSI mark.
“Ministry of Infrastructure test showed that it was just above the PSI, which is 3500. However, I would have also be engaging the University of Guyana. It’s not that I don’t have confidence in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, but I think that we need to have other organisations results so that we can be extremely sure,” she said.
She added that because of the major differences found in the tests conducted, another examination would be necessary so as to be exceptionally sure as to the way forward.
“Testing conducted on the foundation conducted by the University of Guyana was below 1500 PSI and two columns had with one column having about 1700 PSI and
Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas
the other is just about 2700 PSI so everything failed according to the University of Guyana. The University of Guyana also conducts several tests on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure,” Lucas noted.
This the REO stressed prompted her to have a third test done this time she opted for a joint test involving both the University of Guyana and the Public Infrastructure Ministry along with a representative of the contractor.
“Because we have two varying and it’s not that one has a five here and there difference, I decided to conduct a joint test between the University of Guyana and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and all parties involved including the contractor however the contractor did not send anyone,” she revealed.
“Again that test showed that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure tests, two of them were below the level and the other two while they passed were less that what the first test said, she continued.
Expressing concerns over the financial resources which has to be expended on conducting several tests, the REO told the regional Councillors that the region will not continue down this trend but rather a decision is being taken for the contractor to redo the foundation and column.
Meanwhile, the REO informed Councillors that her immediate course of action would be to write the contractor after which legal action would follow suit. She stressed that she had no intentions of accepting any sloppy or poor quality of work declaring; “I will be writing the contractor shortly indicating that in our view the project has failed, and he would have to redo the foundation and column again at his own expense failing which I would seek other legal actions to be taken against the contractor.”
Adding their voices to the condemnation of the contractor’s actions, several Councillors expressed their support of the actions taken by the REO.
Councillor Ali Majeed told his colleagues that he has visited the site of the project and is concern over the conduct and state of the compound questioning whether the contractors have had any prior experience with similar or such large projects. He said the manner in how they are conducting and were carrying out the project certainly leaves much to be desired. “I am truly disappointed in how these guys have had the place as this is certainly bothering me because in my view they don’t have a sense of responsibility in executing such projects,” Majeed said.
Back in August, concerns over the quality of the work and the actions of a contractor resulted in a screeching halt. The issue which came up at the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) monthly meeting was disclosed by Lucas who revealed several unsavoury details about the project.
According to the region’s Public Relations Department, one of the details she revealed is that the contractor, Navin and Sons, was ordered by the Clerk of Works to cease casting the foundation of the centre.
“However, the contractor ignored the directive and proceeded to cast the foundation while erecting columns within a day of casting the foundation, thus further fuelling grave concerns. He indicated that he was given approval to proceed by the engineer,” an official from the Department revealed.
According to a report that was submitted by the Clerk of Works, the contractor failed to comply with a number of requirements for the project. Among the requirements ignored by the contractor was one for the complete removal of tree roots and debris from the site.
