Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Nearly 4 years later…Amaila Falls Access Road only 80 per cent complete
…Ministry says remaining 20 per cent to be completed in two months
The Ministry of Public Works spent a total of $15.2B last year across its various departments, but fell short of its target, only achieving 84 per cent of its targeted expenditure for the year.
Minister Robeson Benn, along with heads of the various departments, yesterday provided an update on the achievements and failures over the past year at the Ministry.
Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn (left) along with Permanent Secretary, Balraj Balram updating the media.
Meeting with members of the media at his Office, Minister Benn told media operatives that rains were in part to be blamed for the less than expected performance, along with the stone shortage among other factors.
He called the year “stressful” but did express satisfaction overall saying that they gained a significant amount of experience with the lessons learnt.
His Permanent Secretary Balraj Balram, provided a breakdown of how the monies were spent, and told media operatives that the Ministry had a total allocation of just over $18B but only $15B was used.
He noted that of the $15B, just about $2.5B was utilized for its recurring expenditure while $12.6B went to capital expenditure.
As it relates to the Ministry’s recurring expenditure, it spent 99 per cent of the monies it had while only 81 per cent of the $15B it had allocated for its capital projects was spent.
The Ministry would usually expend more than 90 per cent of its allocations annually, but this did not obtain last year.
Amaila Falls Access Road
Chief Works Engineer, Walter Willis, was on hand at yesterday’s press engagement and he provided an update on the Amaila Falls Access Road.
He told media operatives that at the end of 2012, the road was 30 per cent complete and that at the end of 2013 it was 80 per cent complete.
Despite taking nearly four years to complete 80 per cent of the road, the remaining 20 per cent is scheduled to be completed in the next two months.
Asked why the optimism in finishing the road within that period, Willis said that the majority of the works remaining is the laying of laterite and with weather holding up ,it would be possible.
The first contract for the Access road was inked in March of 2010.
The road is divided into numerous sections and according to Willis, section 2A is 89 per cent complete; 2B, 32 per cent; three, 73 per cent; four, 99 per cent; five, 98 per cent; six, 55 per cent and seven 74 per cent.
He said that essentially, what is left, is the laying of 120 kilometres of laterite as well as the crossings as the Kuribrong and Butakari.
According to Willis, there is 2.5 kilometers in section two of the road close to the Essequibo River which is called a ‘swamp’ section given that it is very low and work is underway at this location and remains to be completed.
At the Kuribrong crossing, Willis noted that there is currently a temporary pontoon crossing along with another pontoon crossing at Butakari but this aspect of the project is now at the tendering stage for a permanent solution.
In section two there are two bridges to be completed, in section six another is to be completed which was 50 per cent completed at the end of December.
As it relates to the bridge to be built at Kuribrong, Willis explained that the design for the bridge which was contracted out to Dynamic Engineering has been accepted and the Ministry will now have to secure funding which is expected to come from the 2014 Budget.
“Consideration now is being given to whether to have a fixed bridge or a pontoon crossing,” said Willis.
He noted that there is to be a steel bridge in section seven and that also remains to be completed.
Asked for the revised total cost of the project given that it was originally US$15.4M and up to the last update that price tag had more than doubled, Minister Benn said “I don’t think we could give you detailed updated costs.”
Willis then told the Minister that he was in possession of the figures as of December 12, 2013 but Benn said that he will have to look at them first and make a decision as to when it will be made available.
This publication had written in July last year that at the time more than US$38M had been given out in contracts.
Asked about the projected bill that would be tied to the maintenance of the road once completed, Willis indicated that this is currently being worked on in the operations and maintenance manual which is being compiled by consultants; SRKN.
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