Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
Instructions by Patterson caused delays to $124M sea defence project – BK insists
A snap from Minister Indar’s Facebook live showing a section of the incomplete sea defence works.
Kaieteur News – Ganesh Sawh, the Chief Engineer under BK International Incorporated, has alleged that instructions from the former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, resulted in delays in works of a $124M sea defence project.
Sawh made these and other comments yesterday, in response to a story recently carried by Kaieteur News. In that story, it was revealed that BK International had received 70 percent of payment for a $124M project awarded over a year ago, but only 15 percent of the works had been completed by January 21, 2020. It was the Junior Minister of Public Works, Deodat Indar, who made known these revelations, during a visit on Sunday to Plantation Andrews, the site of the sea defence project.
According to Minister Indar, the project was aimed at repairing 1,000 feet of riprap sea defence at the Region Two village, with the completion date set for August 21, 2020. However, during the Minister’s visit to the site, it was observed that a meager 150 feet, or 15 percent of works had been completed by the contractor.
However, when Kaieteur News spoke with BK’s Chief Engineer yesterday, he indicated that it was 24 percent of works that had been completed, and the delay was in the remaining 76 percent. This, he said, was due to instructions by former Minister Patterson.
According to Sawh, when BK began mobilizing works last February at Plantation Andrews, Patterson had told the contractor to focus efforts on repairing a breach at Danzig, Region Five. The engineer explained, “There were two other contractors fixing the breach at Danzig, but they weren’t doing a good job. So, Patterson and his Chief Hydraulics Officer had instructed us to move over to Danzig to take over the repairs.”
However, as works began to mobilize at Danzig, the engineer had observed that a large amount of filter fabric was needed to start the works. “Filter fabric was used as a foundation for the repairs. On this fabric, you would first lay the sand on it and then place the bounders on top. It helps water to pass, while preventing the soil from migrating through the fabric,” Sawh explained.
Because all of the equipment had been available for works at Plantation Andrews, Sawh said the former Minister told BK to use its filter fabric at Danzig, instead of the site it was intended for.
When it was time for BK to recommence works at the Region Two site, the team had realized that it had depleted all of the fabric, so an order had to be placed for more, the engineer says. “We had placed the order for the fabric, but because of COVID-19 restrictions, it arrived until September of last year,” he added.
Notwithstanding this, Sawh said that now that the shipment has arrived, and if good weather prevails, the repairs at Plantation Danzig could be completed within six weeks.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Let us not be silent witnesses!
…Peeping Tom kaieteur News- Ray Daggers walked from Corriverton to Charity. It was a journey so epic it might have... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
