Latest update January 1st, 2025 1:00 AM
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Edghill, Patterson cross swords over asphalt plant
– say several technical problems identified
The new asphalt plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara.
Kaieteur News – Minister of Public Infrastructure, Juan Edghill, is debunking claims of former Minister, David Patterson, that the new asphalt plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, is fully operational.
Patterson had released a scathing statement condemning the finding of a special audit into the project which revealed a number of damning issues related to the management of the plant.
The plant had fell under Patterson’s watch, while the Coalition Government was in office between May 2015 and August 2020.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, Juan Edghill.
However, contrary to the claims by Patterson, that he was “reliably informed that the plant is fully functional”, Minister Edghill said that the plant is still a work in progress. He explained in a letter to the editor, that several aspects of the work had to be rechecked by a German engineer before the system was tested last December.
According to the Minister, the tests were conducted and it was found that three of the systems were not functioning, hence making the structure inoperable to date.
“The systems which are currently not functioning are the burner system, the bitumen weighing scale and the granulate system,” he said, adding that “the burner is presently not working due to a software controller, which has to be configured for the use of diesel fuel.”
Edghill noted too, that the bitumen weighing scale of the asphalt plant was unable to be tested as two load cells were not operable due to moisture.
Likewise, he noted that the granulate system is unable to function as a result of a load cell that needs to be replaced.
Given the issues with the plant, Edghill disclosed that the Factory Engineer left Guyana on January 04, 2021 and is anticipated to be back by mid-February for final testing and training of the engineers and plant operators.
“Finally, let me end by saying that the principal functions of the asphalt plant are the drying, heating and cleaning of aggregates facilitated by the burner thermal energy, through communication with the BLS 3000. The BLS 3000 is the asphalt plant operational software.
Due to aforementioned issues (software and electronic components), the plant is not fully functional to date,” Edghill stated.
Additionally, the Minister made it clear that the findings were reported to the factory and the Germans will stand the expenses of the components, given that the structure has not been commissioned as yet.
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