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Dutch firm to drill three wells at half the price PPP govt. paid
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday, announced at the Post Cabinet Press Briefings in the Ministry of the Presidency, that a Dutch company was awarded with a $121,628,000 contract to drill three wells along the coastline.
GWI CEO Dr. Richard Van West-Charles
The cost to drill these wells, the Minister explained, will be half the cost previously paid to local contractors. The wells will be drilled at Sophia, Diamond and Sparendaam. The procuring entity is the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).
The company was identified as De Ruiter Groundwork Technique.
“This is a company that successfully operated in Suriname, in the Netherlands and will bring particular skills in this regard,” Minister said.
Harmon said it is expected that there will be a transfer of technological expertise to local persons who will be involved in the project.
The local component of the project, he added, will also see a 50/50 split of Guyanese and Dutch workers.
The disclosure of a lower cost to construct these wells may come as good news for observers who have in the past, opined that wells being drilled, could have been done at a lower cost. It also paves the way for a possible review of some of the contracts awarded in the past to drill wells in Guyana since one well in Manchester, the East Berbice-Corentyne, was constructed to the tune of $90.4M under the previous administration – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Back in 2010, Cabinet through the Ministry of Housing and the GWI gave its no-objection for four contracts to drill wells. These included one at Canefield, East Canje, for $89M; one at Tatabinga, Region Nine for $77M; another for Mon Repos for $89M with one at Good Hope for $69M.
The GWI will be investing $3B this year to improve the livelihood of residents in all the administrative regions through infrastructural improvements for the provision of safe water.
Over the past 18 months the state-run agency has provided some 100,000 residents with improved infrastructure and service across the country.
Meanwhile, the extension of transmission mains is ongoing and GWI is advancing works to activate a new well at Port Kaituma to provide improved water quality and service within the community.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Water Company, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, earlier this year, said special emphasis was being placed on hinterland schools to reduce and prevent water-borne diseases.
He pointed out, also, that this is part of Government’s efforts to align the Hinterland with the rest of the Coastland.
Also, nine wells are to be dug in the South Rupununi by the Brazilian Army.
As it relates to Region Ten, GWI says a new water distribution system has been installed in Andy Ville, Linden to provide access to potable water for more than 100 persons.
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