Roads, other infrastructural works grind to halt in Region 10

Oct 14, 2022 News

…contractors cite inflation, Officials call for better monitoring

By Vanessa Braithwaite

Kaieteur News – Region 10 officials have called for better monitoring of Government projects in the area, citing the controversial Bamia Primary School construction which was recently halted but is said to be back on course.

A number of road projects for which contracts have already been awarded are said to be suffering similar delays. The elected officials are adamant that the regional administration headed by the Regional Executive Officer, Dwight John, and subject ministries such as the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and Ministry of Public Works, should ensure better monitoring of projects being funded by tax payers’ dollars, so as to ensure accountability and efficiency.

Many complaints have surfaced about infrastructural projects starting and halting for extended periods of time without any proper explanation from the contractors. Case in point is the highly controversial Bamia Primary School which saw works being halted for two months. While REO John is quoted in some sections of the media saying works resumed as promised last Friday, Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, said during a visit to the school’s construction site, workers were not on the ground and the proposed work programme which is expected to address the slow progress of the contract was not submitted to his office by either the contractors or the regional administration.

Stalled works at the multi-million dollar Bamia Primary School

The new work programme is expected to cater to eight percent work being completed on a monthly basis to make up for lost time. The project was expected to last for 20 months. Construction woes at the school became public, with the principals being called out for lack of accountability .The project was awarded to St8ment Investment Inc, whose principals are Rawle Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment and Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation. The project was awarded to the tune of $346M. In the initial months, construction seemed to be going according to plan but abruptly stopped.

According to a source close to the company, finance was listed as the primary reason behind the hold up. The source related that with the current inflation, the project was being executed at a loss since the prices for materials have tripled since the contract was awarded. The company has secured approximately close to $60M for the first phase. The foundation for the school is not yet competed. Unconfirmed reports claim that the company was seeking more funding in consideration of the current inflation. Adams however is adamant that while the reason may be genuine, it was for this very reason concerns were raised over awarding a contract of this magnitude to inexperienced contractors. “Maybe that is why we had other contractors bidding more, to take into effect the inflation and other things, that is the exact reason we were concerned. Construction work is continuing all around the country, why only this school has an issue…why only these contractors have an issue,” the Regional Chairman queried.

Meanwhile, Regional Councillors have expressed concern about other projects being stalled or moving at a very slow pace in the region. These include roads and the young professional houses. For example, some of the 24 community roads that were started over a month ago have been halted, with stones left on the surface. A few week ago residents of Wismar Housing Scheme were forced to protest against stalled road projects in their community.