Latest update March 23rd, 2025 5:37 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Brand-new Essequibo stelling falling apart

Apr 29, 2010 News

…supporting pontoon sinks in river

A pontoon anchoring the ramp of the multi-million-dollar stelling at Good Hope, Essequibo, sank Monday night forcing yet another delay in the commissioning of the facility.
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Robeson Benn, confirming the incident yesterday, disclosed that work was being done on the pontoon but unusually high tides swamped it, sending it to the bottom of the Essequibo River.
The Minister assured that the facility will be completed in a “few days time” since it was “only a mishap”.
There was evident stress on the roll-on-roll-off ramp from the missing pontoon and upset residents said that the project should have been completed months ago but there seems to be no “hurry” to get it done with “much money spent” for the kind of stelling that was built.
A senior Public Works official yesterday said that workers may have “messed up” by loosing crucial supporting parts of the structure attached to the pontoon.
In January, tests conducted on the facility, said to be costing around $574M, found a design flaw.
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 witnessed by government officials and contractor, B.K International, found faults.
Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn, had 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 Adventure Stelling, in the meantime.
In January, Benn had explained that there was a six-foot difference in the offloading ramp to the vessels and this could have even led to the sinking of the vessel if the heavier tonnage trucks – in the 20 tonnes range – were used.
Tests in January found that only trucks of 5-6 tonnes could have safely used the vessel.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

St. Lucia’s Elite Blazers takes aim at FIBA 3×3 World Tour in Edmonton

St. Lucia’s Elite Blazers takes aim at FIBA 3×3 World Tour in...

Mar 22, 2025

…but must first conquer the One Guyana 3×3 Quest Kaieteur Sports-  For Caribbean teams, qualifying for the FIBA 3×3 World Tour is a dream come true. However, the opportunity to...
Read More
Petra/Milo U18 Football kicks off Round II action today

Petra/Milo U18 Football kicks off Round II action...

Mar 22, 2025

Track and Field clubs demand nullification of AAG elections

Track and Field clubs demand nullification of AAG...

Mar 22, 2025

Joint Statement from WIPA and CWI on Athlete Safeguarding

Joint Statement from WIPA and CWI on Athlete...

Mar 22, 2025

RCNA launches Childhood Obesity Prevention Inter-School Tapeball Competition

RCNA launches Childhood Obesity Prevention...

Mar 22, 2025

FL Sport donates stumps to Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club

FL Sport donates stumps to Meten-Meer-Zorg...

Mar 22, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]