EBD road expansion project deadline now September month-end

Sep 02, 2016 News

East Bank Demerara (EBD) commuters had expected to breathe a sigh of relief after

September month-end is the new deadline for the East Bank road expansion project. (FILE PHOTO)

it was announced that the Road Expansion Project was going to be completed at the end of last month. However these commuters will have to endure headaches for another month since it was confirmed yesterday that works will be completed by this month-end.
According to previous reports, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI)’s Chief Works Officer, Geoffrey Vaughn, had stated that the contractors were pushing for the August deadline; however some time would be given back to the contractors because of the unavailability of bitumen in the country. Lack of this material was the only major challenge Vaughn had stated. It was confirmed yesterday that the time will be given back to the contractors.
The EBD Four-lane Expansion Project – funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)- was rolled out in 2011 by the former administration. The works were divided into three lots.
Lot One, Providence to Covent Garden, with a length of 2.65km – which is currently under construction – was initially awarded to Dipcon Engineering Services at a price of US$8M. The company had only completed 59 percent of the contract when all works were “effectively ceased” in May 2015 – two years after the project was scheduled for a completion date of April, 30, 2013.
Following discussions with the contractor and the Ministry, an “agreeable settlement” was reached and on August 16, 2015, and the contract was terminated.
The works were then placed into the hands of Gaico Construction and BK International Incorporated.
Lot two – from Vreed-en-Rust to Prospect – with a length of 1.55km was awarded to GEM Ltd. & Gaico Construction to the amount of approximately US$5.8M. Works were completed in May 2015.
Lot three – Prospect to Great Diamond, with a length of 1.20km, was completed in June 2015 by BK International Inc. to the tune of US$3.5M.
All three contracts were signed on October 3, 2011 with a commencement date of November 1, 2011 and completion date of April 30, 2013.