Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
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Government satisfied with 574M stelling
The pontoon was recently attached to the ramp but sank last Monday night
– Structure was tested in the presence of two ministers – BK Int’l
BK International Inc, the contracting company involved in the construction of a $574M stelling at Supenaam, has distanced itself from the sinking of an attached pontoon earlier this week and said that it had completely handed over the facility to government since Janaury.
As a matter of fact, said Egan Bazilio, an official of BK International, in a letter to this newspaper, two ministers of government and other stakeholders were present in January when the structure was successfully tested with an 18-ton vehicle.
The two Ministers although not named in the letter, were Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, and Minister of Local Government, Kellawan Lall.
The firm said that the sunken pontoon was not part of the design of the stelling and “thus was not built or placed by BK International Inc.”
BK noted that the persons who were working on the pontoon that sank were not any of their staffers.
“BK International Inc. built the stelling according to the design and full compliance with all technical specifications. The original design and construction was for a roll-on roll-off gangway. BK International engineers are of the view that the ferry stage (ramp) should be extended, not the gangway. The ferry stage may also be replaced.
According to BK, modification of the structure should not have proceeded without consultation with the design and construction firms.
“The Ministry of Works has not contacted BK International Inc. regarding its modifications currently under construction. We wish to emphasize that the works were satisfactorily completed by BK. International Inc. and a Completion Certificate was issued to us on January 19th 2010 by the Employer. This certified that all defects, if any, were made good to the satisfaction of the Consultants. The structure was successfully tested with an 18 ton vehicle in the presence of two Ministers of the Government and other stakeholders.”
BK said that it is not involved in the present modifications to the stelling which are being carried out by the Ministry of Public Works & Communications.
A pontoon anchoring the ramp of the stelling sank on Monday night forcing yet another delay in the commissioning of the facility.
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