Almost eight weeks after the West Coast Demerara (WCD) access road was discovered to be deteriorating mere months after its official commissioning, the two contractors responsible for the works have completed rehabilitation works.
Residents in the Vreed-en-Hoop area, where construction, was ongoing explained that the works were officially completed on Saturday by BK International and Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited.
Coordinator/Chief of Works attached to the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Geoffrey Vaughn noted that the Ministry would be looking closely at quality control to ensure that the road met the required standard.
Asked if he is concerned about the quality of work done by the contractors,
The rehabilitated section of the Vreed-en-Hoop road
Vaughn said he was quite satisfied as residents hardly complained of the road not being up to standard. He added that the Ministry will, however, continue to monitor the West Coast roads, and will check with residents to ensure no other section is deteriorating.
Guyana Times reported early last month that the companies began drilling holes to surround the sunken area while conducting tests to find out what was the cause.
Residents started worrying as the road works began with hardly any reflectors being used in the construction area.
In fact, the Police in D Division (West Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) even confirmed the death of a pedestrian in the area.
Guyana Times was told that the pedestrian, Rafeek Khan, 46, also known as “Buck Man”, of Plantain Walk, West Bank Demerara succumbed to his injuries on November 15, after he was struck by a motor car while attempting to cross the road from south to north.
This newspaper understands that that section of the road began deteriorating as a result of faulty foundation works previously conducted on the newly-commissioned road.
A senior Ministry official had made it clear that the contractors were standing the expenses to conduct repairs to the road, under the defect liability clause in the contract.
He explained during a telephone interview that the contract has a defect liability period, which means any defects, which develop – in this case over a year’s time – would have to be repaired by the contractors and not the Ministry.
The project, which was undertaken to the tune of some $9.7 billion, was only completed this year.
