Bartica, Leguan, Parika stellings to be rehabilitated

Sep 22, 2015 News

Stellings across the country are slated to undergo rehabilitation works within the coming months. Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) officials are already holding consultations and bids have been tendered for the million dollar works.

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, in a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said that in the 21^stcentury, “The country cannot just have a stelling for a ferry.”

He explained that in every community, the waterfront is the prime spot. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on ensuring that the stelling be transformed, in keeping with the ‘soon to be’ conferred status of township for Bartica.

“You can have commercial and social areas in it, a restaurant and other attractions. We are not just fixing a few boards, we are actually working to a plan, so when Bartica becomes a town, you can step off the ferry or a speedboat, you step off into a town, into a commercial zone, a social zone,” Minister Patterson said.

T&HD, the agency with responsibility for stellings, was asked to be innovative when rehabilitating the stelling.

The rehabilitation of the Bartica Stelling is seen by Minister Patterson as the perfect opportunity to re-design the future of Guyana, bringing it in tandem with the development that is likely to be seen over the coming years.

The 2015 National Budget had allocated $50M for the rehabilitation of stellings, with Bartica, Parika and Leguan among others will soon benefit.

General Manager of T&HD, Marceline Merchant, during a recent interview, outlined the planned rehabilitation that will be done on the Bartica, Parika and Leguan stellings.

“At the Bartica stelling, (works) will be addressing the fender and mooring system, the lower ramp, the southern section and the decking, which (will undergo some changes).”

She also stated that there will be focus on the offices which house the Clerk in Charge. She stated that the facility is currently leaning. Work would also have to be done on the guttering.

At the Leguan stelling, works will be done on the driveway, as the decking (flat surface) had been raised, Ms. Merchant said.

“(At the) Leguan stelling we will be addressing the driveway, most of the decking has been raised. We’re going to change the bad ones and try to tack down the good ones. We’re going to change about 23 piles. We’re also putting back the fender system,” she said, indicating that on the southern section the decking would also be changed.

The dilapidated section of the Parika stelling would have to wait for next year. Their focus according to Merchant, would be on maintaining the roll off/roll on facility, as well as putting in a catwalk and the cluster piles for mooring boats.

“We also want to do a continuous fender system, to make direct contact with the catwalk. Too often, the boat (bumps) the dolphin (structure extending above water to moor) and the catwalk will go overboard. With the continuous (fender) system, the catwalk going overboard will be history.”

The fender prevents the boat from hitting the cluster piles.

Merchant intimated that by mid-October the construction process should start and by December should be concluded.

“It was last Tuesday that the bids were opened, the evaluation has to be submitted by today.

She also noted that the Georgetown stelling would be addressed in next year’s capital works.