Govt mulls taking contractor to court

Defective Kato School
Government is considering taking the contracting company to court over the shoddy works done on the multimillion-dollar Kato Secondary School in Region Eight (Potaro- Siparuni).
Three years ago, the previous administration paid close to $1 billion to Kares Engineering Incorporated for the construction of the school which would have accommodated some 400 children from the community.
However, earlier this year, the Public Infrastructure Ministry estimated that 60 per cent of the school has defects.
Auditing company Rodrigues Architects Limited found severe structural defects in the complex, such as crumbling walls, bad timbers, exposed electrical outlets, cracking stairways, and exposed steel.
The auditors said the classrooms were incorrectly placed away from the windward side and would ultimately lead to hot, uncomfortable classrooms.
Additionally, it was highlighted that the dining room and kitchen could not accommodate the school’s projected number of students. Safety concerns were also noted since the school lacked fencing. This was especially worrying since the school would be housing at least 250 students in its dormitories.
The company estimated that remedial works would cost a whopping $140 million.
Government spokesperson Raphael Trotman told a post-cabinet press briefing that government is considering a range of options in dealing with the matter, including the possibility of taking the contracting company to court.
“Do we surcharge them by way of taking them to court and getting damages and having someone else do it?” he presumed.
Trotman disclosed that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and Attorney General Basil Williams are currently engaged in discussions regarding the best way forward.
Other options being explored are whether government should stand the expense to fix the school or whether the company that presided over the bad workmanship should be mandated to repair its inferior work.
“Ultimately the wellbeing and welfare of children, and their right to an education must be paramount, so I believe that the Minister of Public Infrastructure is going to be finding ways to do some repairs to the building so that it can be safely, efficiently occupied by the students,” Trotman surmised.
He added that the Attorney General is in charge of determining which party will stand the expense of repairs to the school.
Minister Patterson, according to media reports, had indicated that although the contracting company is willing to remedy the faults, government is not keen on having them conduct the repairs since they are under investigation.
He had asserted that the company was given many opportunities to correct its poor work, but did not.
Meanwhile, the 400 students are currently receiving schooling in another institution which is already very overcrowded.