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Contractor slow off the mark on East Bank Berbice road
“But it is so how some of these contractors behave! Why should the residents of East Bank Berbice suffer when we have the money—We signed the 
contract with you—Come and do the damn work!”- MP Jaffarally
No work has started on the East Bank Berbice (EBB) roadway by H. Nauth & Sons Civil Contractors more than two months after a $393M contract was signed.
On Tuesday, angry residents of Ma Retraite and Plegt Anker fumed about the road when Hydar Ally, Region Six Vice- Chairman, Mr. Bhupaul Jhagroo; and Member of Parliament Faizal M. Jaffarally conducted an outreach to those areas.
Jaffarally and Ally plan to inform the Minister of Public Works about this new development and summon Nauth to an urgent meeting with the residents. The meeting is to explain why he has not commenced the $393M works to asphalt the stretch of roadway from BERMINE junction to Islington (12.2KM).
“I’m so disappointed that the government gave the contract and signed it—At least [Nauth]) should have—made an effort to start! Show the people on the East Bank of Berbice that you are making an effort to start! Don’t come and tell me now because the rain start fall! In November, we didn’t have rain! In December we didn’t have any rain,” said Jaffarally.
The officials expressed shock at the non-commencement of works by the contractor and promised a full investigation.
The contract was awarded on November 11, 2014 and the contractor has apparently done absolutely nothing on 12.2KM stretch of road that was contracted to be asphalted. Jaffarally. “We are going to bring Minister Benn down on the EBB to interact with you the residents, and bring the contractor! He must tell you why!”
“But it is so how some of these contractors behave! Why should the residents of EBB suffer when we have the money—we signed the contract with you—come and do the damn work!” the MP stated.
Jaffarally added that the government has a zero tolerance policy on errant contractors, who are expected to produce. “We will ensure actions are taken!”
When contacted yesterday, Region Six Chairman, David Armogan, was also upset about the non- commencement of work. He said that the weather was a humbug. “The weather caught up with him and a lot of his workers had to go on two weeks holiday with pay and all sorts of things.”
Armogan assured that Nauth will start works on the road by today.
“A lot of people have not gone back to work yet for the year, especially when it comes to logging.”
He added that Phase One of the project should cost in the vicinity of US$7 million. He noted that it is quite difficult for Government to put its hand on its equivalent of $1.5B, “so we applied to the IDB to do the piece of road from Tacama Turn to BERMINE, so that money has not been passed as yet.”
This is why, he stated, that Government has been doing remedial work on the roadway, “until the big money is passed.”
Armogan said that the release of the tranche of money is taking a lot of time. However, the official is optimistic that with the completion of the Feasibility Study, the money should be released very soon.
The Chairman said that the front portion of the thoroughfare, from Tacama Turn to Bermine will continue to be maintained by Peter Lewis Construction. “Patch, patch work will be done wherever the need exists to keep it (the road) good until the big money is passed.”
Back in November, residents of EBB had registered their disgust with the secrecy with which things are being done. They expressed ignorance about the awarding of the contract and to whom it was awarded.
They still query why the back half was being done instead of the front. What criteria were used and why residents were not consulted before and their views sought.
H. Nauth and Sons which has an operation on East Bank Berbice, has been doing maintenance work on the road. However, within a short space of time the road would deteriorate. Nauth took on the task and tried to repair the 25-mile stretch of what was left of the road. When certain sections were done other sections collapsed and so it went on and on.
“I know how frustrated the residents of East Bank Berbice are. I myself am frustrated, because we had all anticipated that this road would have been done last year.”
He added that his Administration would be very happy when the EBB road is completed. “It has been the greatest headache for us in the region.”
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