Edghill flags slow pace of work on 32 hinterland bridges

Jul 12, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – With its 18-month deadline approaching, the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill on Monday during an inspection exercise expressed his dissatisfaction with the slow pace of works ongoing on the construction of the 32 hinterland wooden bridges to concrete structures which are situated along the Kurupukari to Lethem corridor.

On Monday, the Minister was joined by his engineering team at the different project sites where the bridges are being built. In a video on his Facebook page, the Minister said that the team is checking to see the pace of work, the quality of work and that works are in keeping with the project management to ensure that they have adequacy of time for completion and wherever there are slippages that they are corrected.

The Public Works Minister said too that the projects started about 14 months ago and should be completed in another four months.

After visiting several project sites, Minister Edghill said “we have seen some projects and I am expressing grave dissatisfaction. The contractors were not on site to meet me neither there were workers on site to even explain to me what is going on.”

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill engaging officials at one of the project site on Monday.

The Minister continued, “It is highly disrespectful for a contractor to sign a contract with my ministry, it is not an engineer visiting today, it is the minister who is gazetted, who answers to the Parliament… is visiting to see, to get answers and to give instructions, and they are not on site.”

According to the minister, it seems as though some people want to do work at their own time when they are ready and when they feel like doing it. With this being said, he made it clear that “mediocrity will not be condoned by me in anyway … excellence is the standard that I set…not mediocrity.”

Works ongoing on bridges along the Kurupukari to Lethem trail.

Edghill noted that following his inspection exercise, his engineering team will engage those contractors to ensure that the remaining works are completed on schedule. “There is no time at all [that] I will tolerate contractors showing disrespect, disregard for instructions and moving at their own time,” he stated.

Kaieteur News had reported last year April, the ministry signed six contracts totalling $3.19 billion to have the 32 bridges constructed.

It was also reported that the projects have been divided into six lots and would see Iwokrama, Pirara, Surama, Camudi Bash, Annai, Yararinta, Genip Landing, Massara Junction, Point Ranch and Hunt Oil benefitting from the new bridges.

Kaieteur News understands that the Ministry is not fixing these bridges because they are in a poor state but rather is upgrading them to “international standards.”

International standards, this publication was informed, means reconstructing the wooden structure bridges with concrete. Upon completion, the bridges would have the capability to accommodate heavier vehicles which usually traverse the Kurupukari to Lethem trail.

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Annai, Camudi Bash, Genip Landing, Iwokrama, Pirara, Yararinta

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