Sheriff/Mandela highway completion date delayed again

Feb 15, 2022 News

The current state of the Sheriff Street/Mandela roundabout

Kaieteur News – The completion of the new Sheriff/Mandela four-lane highway has once again been delayed.
The project had commenced in 2018.
Government had announced that the deadline for completion was February 14, 2022 but according to information released recently, the new deadline is now a date in early March.
According to the Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, this is due to a delay in the supply chain management and shipping.
In an article by the Department of Public Information, the Minister stated that he has decided to undertake additional works on the project outside of its original scope.
“The road is completed, but we have made a decision that where the road ended to the walkway where there was just either mud or grass, if you go right now, we are putting in asphaltic concrete,” he related.
He also noted that a lot of hard components such as the traffic lights have not yet arrived in the country.
Edghill, in a previous press briefing stated that most of the works along the Sheriff/Mandela road were fully completed, which include, the installation of streetlights and guard rails which have been completed along the entire highway. He noted however, the completion of road markings, placement of traffic signs and installation of traffic lights were yet to be completed.
“I had a meeting with the contractor because the traffic lights are experiencing shipping problems and we try to move every mountain to make sure we get it here. Because we had indicated by February 14, Valentine’s Day, we want to get this highway, with all of its components completed…” Minister Edghill had assured.
MISSED DEADLINES

The Sheriff Street/ Mandela road (DPI photo)

This publication had previously reported that the road project, which saw its contract awarded to the Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation, was faced with multiple delays of deadlines since work commenced.
The company was awarded the contract in 2017 and works began the following year, which was supposed to be completed already but was plagued by constant delays.
One of the excuses given regarding its failure to meet the deadline was that it had to halt works during the five-month gridlock over the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Works recommenced after it was over in August 2020 and a new deadline was set for August 4, 2021.
Sinohydro was unable to meet that deadline, and a new one was set for August 31, 2021. It did not meet that deadline either. The company was granted until October, 31, 2021, but was also unable to meet that deadline due to heavy rainfall.

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