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Questions raised over lowly 30-days defect liability period
Bids for roll-on/roll-off facility at Supenaam, Parika…
Multi-million dollar bids to construct roll-on/roll-off facilities at the Supenaam and Parika Stellings, Essequibo, are being evaluated but strangely enough, the bid documents are indicating that the defects liability period has been reduced to 30 days, instead of the usual six months to a year.
The defects liability period has taken on heightened significance since controversy erupted over the construction of the Supenaam Stelling, which finally cost the country’s coffers half of a billion dollars ($500M). The defects liability period following practical completion, is usually six or 12 months during which the building contractor retains liability under the building contract for dealing with any defects which manifest itself.
A prominent engineer agreed that it is highly unusual that only a month was allowed for the defects liability period when normally it is a year.
The Supenaam facility was dormant for months before being commissioned early last year. It was handed over to government with modifications being done. After opening to river traffic, it encountered structural problems, which resulted in its closure days after.
An investigation by independent engineers failed to place singular blame on the designers, consultants, government agencies or contractor. Government ended up shelling out almost $70M to ensure the facility was made operational.
Two new Chinese ferries are expected to arrive in Guyana before year-end to service the Essequibo River routes, and the project at the two stellings are the necessary adjustments to facilitate vehicles to enter and leave the vessels.
According to the bid documents for the roll-on/roll-off ferries, a 60-feet by 60-feet pier will be joined on to the existing one. A 77-feet linkspan bridge will then be attached which will allow for the ferries to unload. The ferries are said to include flaps at its bow and stern to allow the vehicles to disembark the stelling. These flaps will be resting on the linkspan bridge.
Government is extending the Parika wharf by 60 feet and adding a 77 feet bridge to cater for two new Chinese ferries expected to arrive in Guyana later this year.
The linkspan bridge will be stabilized by a pontoon and there will be mooring piles and fender piles driven, as part of the project. Fender piles, usually one of a group, are set beside ferry slips and wharves to guide approaching vessels and driven so as to yield slightly when struck in order to lessen the shock of contact.
The same construction will be done at the Supenaam Stelling, except for the pier.
Last week, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) opened bids for the construction of roll-on/roll-off facilities with the government’s engineers estimating that it would cost in excess of $321M.
Government says that Supenaam Stelling was built to reduce travel time from Region Two to Parika by hours.
In December last year, government signed contracts with the Chinese Government that paved the way for two brand new ferries. The US$14M boats, similar to the Makouria class vessels and of the Canaiwaima size, have been described as a New Year’s gift by the local Chinese Embassy.
Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn, had said that the two new ferries will supplement the current fleet operating in Essequibo where it increasingly has shown that there is a huge demand for the vessels.
With the building of a bridge across the Essequibo River not immediately on the horizon because of the prohibitive cost factors, authorities are left with few options other than ferries to cater for the rice and farm produce being moved from mainly the Essequibo Coast to the city.
The ferries operating there, including Malali and Torani, have long passed their lifespan with increasing costs for maintenance a real challenge for officials.
During the opening of the bids last Tuesday for the facilities at Parika and Supenaam, it was announced that the process would be done in two lots. The engineer’s estimate for Lot One was $211,374,180 while Lot Two was $110,050,650. The bids submitted:
Bidder Amount
Roopan Ramotar Investments Inc. Lot 1. $352, 478, 840
Lot 2. $237, 826, 800
Courtney Benn Contracting Services Ltd. Lot 1. $408, 817, 900
Lot 2. ——————-
BK International Inc. Lot 1. $240, 162, 850
Lot 2. $137, 786, 100
Dynamic Engineering Co. Ltd Lot 1. $247, 433, 150
Lot 2. $146, 412, 400
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