Design flaw at Good Hope stelling forces delay in commissioning

Jan 22, 2010 News

…corrections will take two weeks – Benn

A design flaw at the $574M stelling at Good Hope, Essequibo, is one of the main reasons that the
facility has not come into use as yet.
The stelling, which will save Essequibo commuters some two hours of travel time across the Essequibo River, and Government $1M weekly on ferry fuel, was expected to be completed but a test run earlier this week witnessed by government officials and contractor, B.K International, found faults.
Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn, yesterday explained that the designer of the stelling had made errors and government is now scrambling to correct these and have the facility running within two weeks.
The ferries are continuing to dock at the Adventure Stelling, in the meantime.
According to Benn, there is a six-foot gap between the moored vessel and the offloading ramp. The average truck weighs 18 tonnes. The vessel would take a maximum of 22 tonnes.
To apply this weight to the ramp leading from the wharf could have even led to the sinking of the pontoon and subsequently the heavy truck, Minister Robeson Benn described the design flaw as poor flotation pontoons.
Tests on Tuesday found that only trucks weighing between five tonnes and six tonnes could safely use the stelling and the ramp.
Inspecting the modern ferry stelling on Tuesday were Minister Benn, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall, Permanent Secretary of Local Government Ministry, Seewchand, and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works, Balraj Balram, along with the Regional Chairman, Ali Baksh.
There is still some additional expenditure to be undertaken at the new stelling.
Minister Benn said that lights would be erected around the compound for security reasons.
Three ferries will be in operation to service between Parika and Good Hope.
Meanwhile, according to the Minister, government is mulling the possibility of using the Adventure Stelling for rice exports and for other agricultural shipments to coastal areas in Guyana.

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Design flaw at Good Hope stelling forces delay in commissioning

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