BK loses over $50m on East Bank road

May 24, 2014 Sports

…GT&T to remove fixtures next week

BK Group has lost over $50 million on Phase Two of the East Bank Demerara four-lane expansion as a result of delays caused by utilities that have not been removed in a timely manner since the signing of the contract and the commencement of work in 2012.
BK Group, in a statement, noted the responses of both Guyanqa Water Inc and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph, to its concerns that the water mains and telephone cables continue to hold up the completion of road work at the Diamond section of the East Bank Demerara four-lane expansion.
Both companies have resorted to giving project histories, with varying degrees of inaccuracy, while charging BK Group with damaging their facilities. However, BK will not be drawn into a public argument over the history of the project.
The bottom line for BK is that water pipes and telephone cables remain in place today delaying the completion of the road works even further.
Project Engineer, Julian Archer, during the site visit on Monday, said that there were two problems affecting the completion of the project — the removal of GT&T cables, and (2) the removal of GWI pipelines.
Mr. Archer added that numerous complaints were made in an effort to have the pipes and cables removed.
Both GWI and GT&T point to the Ministry of Public Works as the source of the delays in the removal of the utilities.
Immediate removal of the pipes and cables will ensure that there is no damage to critical infrastructure, that citizens are not inconvenienced, and that the road work will be quickly completed to the benefit of our citizens and visitors.
The Ministry of Public Works needs to ensure that this is done, the company said.
In a press release, the telephone company accused BK International Inc. of continuing, “seemingly in a reckless manner, damaging previously identified facilities seven times in various locations between September 28, 2011 and May 13, 2013.
“This damage affected some 1,800 residential and business customers and the cumulative restoration cost amounted to $2.9 million.
“Equally important is the fact that these damages compromised critical communications at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and nearby sensitive locations including the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
“Although the invoices for these damages were sent to BK International Inc., to date GT&T has received neither acknowledgement nor payment.”
Earlier this month, the telephone company received payment for some of the damage caused by the company.
“On February 28, 2014, GT&T and the Ministry entered into a contract to relocate aerial cables and associated fixtures to a new pole route and to relocate the buried cables (South of the DDL High Bridge).
“This only accounted for a portion of the facilities to be relocated in Lot 3. GT&T received this payment on May 20, 2014 and we are scheduled to commence works during the week of May 25, 2014.”

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BK loses over $50m on East Bank road

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