Just over three years ago, works commenced to upgrade the two-lane West Coast Demerara/East Bank Essequibo (WCD/EBE) road. This project has now been “substantially” completed, with just some road markings and traffic signs’ installation to the done.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Senior Projects Engineer attached to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Kester Hinds, who has oversight responsibility for the $9.2 billion project, explained that the road expansion project is about 98% complete.
“The project is substantially completed. There are just a few little road markings, installation of the road rails and the traffic signs to be installed. So those are the
Works being done on the WCD/EBE road
only things that are outstanding. All construction works have been completed,” Hinds told Guyana Times.
Head of the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s Works Services Group (WSG), Geoffrey Vaughn, had last week told this newspaper that since the project is in its final stage, a recent decision was made to reissue the practical completion certificate to the contractor.
“The consultant is looking at any remedial works that need to be done before we can do the handover. As you know, most of these contracts would have a one year defects liability period, so there is still that defects liability period that we have to look at to see that the road is operating at what it has been constructed for,” Vaughn explained.
The $9.2 billion (US$44.3million) contract for this project was awarded to Jamaican company Surrey Paving and Aggregate (SPA) Limited, which has partnered with BK International. The contract was signed in November 2014, and works commended in January 2015.
In addition to the two-lane upgrade, the project, which has a 36-month timeline, also includes pedestrian facilities in the form of sidewalks, and in some sections, facilities for cyclists will be made. There is also a road safety sensitisation aspect to the project.
According to Hinds, these few works — installation of rails and traffic signs — could not have been completed, since there were some procurement issues.
“The acquisition of those items took some time (in regard to) being delivered in Guyana and getting the necessary customs clearance. So it was completed within the 36 months’ time substantially,” he posited.
Hinds went on to explain that the January 1, 2018 deadline for the project had to be extended due to the setbacks and delays experienced as a result of the relocation of the utilities, and the influence of inclement weather.
“Some of the setbacks included delay in the relocation of utilities, and of course rainfall would have contributed to some of the delays as well. And in the early phase of the project, there was some delay in the contractor acquiring all the resources to execute the project,” Hinds explained.
According to Hinds, while construction works did not go over the $9.2 billion budget, the delays and extension of time can have financial implications. To this end, he noted that the Ministry and the contractors are trying to iron out the issue to have all the extra time addressed within the contract.
“The project was within budget. It did not go over the contract sum, but remember we would have had some extra time, which may have incurred some cost, which wouldn’t be anything significant; but we are looking to see if it can be addressed within the contract sum and not require additional sum. So I can’t say at this point in time if those delays and extension has incurred additional costs or if it will be addressed within the contract,” he explained.
Nevertheless, the Senior Projects Engineer posited that he is satisfied with the expansion works done to upgrade the 30.7 kilometre stretch of road from Vreed-en-Hoop, WCD to Hydronie, EBE.
In regard to the Road Safety Awareness component of the road project, these works have been completed, Hinds said. There were three sub-components: the school road safety educational programme; the community and driver road safety communication, and the road safety/public relations and communications. According to the Senior Projects Engineer, while the works have been completed, the report on the Road Safety/Public Relations and Communications is outstanding.
