GWI to save $$M with new drilling technique

Feb 12, 2017 News

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday last, announced at the Post Cabinet Press Briefing in the Ministry of the Presidency, that a Dutch company was awarded 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.
The company was successful in carrying out works in neighbouring Suriname and the Netherlands.
Chief Executive Office of the GWI, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, told this publication yesterday that the company will be using a special type of technology, never used in Guyana, that will see better precision and will limit the timeframe to drill, and which will ultimately lead to an overall reduction of the burden being placed on the state’s coffers.
Dr. Van West-Charles revealed also, that there will be an expected transfer of technological expertise to local persons who will be involved in the project.
This development comes against the background of opinions made by observers in the past about the cost to drill water wells. Many opined that wells being drilled could have been done at a lower cost.
Also, this new approach paves the way for a possible review of some of the contracts awarded in the past to drill wells in Guyana.
In the past, contracts were given to the companies, where millions of dollars were being paid to drill and construct wells, particularly along the coast.
One well in Manchester, on 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 via 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 Tabatinga, Region Nine for $77M; another at Mon Repos for $89M, and one at Good Hope for $69M.
The forensic audit into the GWI for the period January 2012 to May 2015, had also raised several red flags over the drilling of wells where it pointed to one contractor, BK International which had been granted contracts to drill three wells worth $252 million for GWI. These wells were expected to be drilled at Hope and Mon Repos on the East Coast Demerara and at Eccles on the East Bank Demerara. Five years later and the project is yet to be fully completed.
Meanwhile, 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.
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.
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.

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