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BK apologises to Minister Benn over comments
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn
Brian Tiwari
Managing Director of BK International Inc., Brian Tiwarie, has apologised to Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Robeson Benn, for comments made a month ago following the problems at the new Supenaam stelling.
Tiwari, in a letter addressed to Benn on Thursday, said that he regretted the “discomfort” that the remarks would have caused and that it was never any intention to cast any aspersions on the Minister’s character.
The apology, released to Kaieteur News yesterday, was copied to President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, and Attorney General, Charles Ramson.
In May, days after the stelling’s ramp collapsed under the weight of trucks that were being loaded on a ferry, the contractor during a media tour to the Essequibo facility, described the damage as “willful” acts by the Ministry’s officials and called on President Jagdeo to investigate the matter and hold the Ministry accountable.
A clearly upset Tiwarie had stated that Minister Benn said publicly that he would not be spending a “cent” more to repair the stelling. However, a few months later, millions of dollars more were spent to make modifications.
Additionally, Tiwarie noted that the damages to the stelling during the modification works were extensive.
According to Tiwarie, Minister Benn, in a meeting to discuss the problems at the stelling in May, attempted to “change his mouth” when it was pointed out that tests were done to ensure the integrity of the bridge.
“I think that whoever did this…was only to criticise us…We don’t see the need. All we see in this is the need to kill a couple of people,” Tiwarie is quoted as saying to media houses.
“It has come to my attention that you are quite unhappy with some remarks I made recently during my visit to Supenaam and I therefore write to let you know that none of these remarks was directed to you as Minister and no offence at all was meant,” Tiwarie said in the apology.
Rather, the contractor pointed out that the remarks were made in the vernacular and ought not to be taken literally.
“Bet that as it may, I regret the discomfort that the remarks caused you and I wish to reassure you once again that there was never any intention to cast any aspersion on your personal integrity, character and professionalism.”
Tiwarie said that he hoped that Minister Benn accepted ‘these words of regret” which would put an end to any discomfort caused.
BK International had constructed the stelling for the Ministry of Local Government to the tune of $431M. However, it was never commissioned as there were problems with the facilities and the loading structures that will allow trucks to board the ferries.
The Ministry of Public Works took over the facility in January and carried out some remedial works which included an additional pontoon and a drawbridge.
However, early in May, four days after being opened to traffic, the drawbridge buckled under the weight of vehicles boarding ferries.
BK International took the media to the facility and in distancing itself from the problems, said that the Ministry made modifications to the facilities without consulting the design consultants and contractors.
President Jagdeo then ordered an investigation to determine what caused the problems with the intentions to have the defects fixed and the facilities operational within the shortest time.
Prime Minister Hinds, who is overseeing the investigation, is working along with two private engineers and already a report has been prepared and submitted to the parties which had worked on the construction of the stelling.
These include the design consultant, the contractor, the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Public Works.
Findings of the report are expected to be available within six weeks, Hinds said a few days ago.
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