Min. Edghill: Cemetery road project delayed by supernatural forces

Jul 21, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Supernatural forces have reportedly delayed the completion of $475M Cemetery Road, Georgetown upgrade, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill disclosed on Thursday at the National Assembly.

Minister Edghill was at the time responding to questions posed by Opposition Member of Parliament, Annette Ferguson.

“This project started on time shortly after signing of the contract but the evidence is there and it is now known around that the contractor has had to change several teams because of the location of this project and the superstitious nature of our country. When certain members started falling sick, there some interpretation by some that it had to do with some supernatural force that was at work and the rest of the workers started staying away”, Edghill said.

Public works Minister, Juan Edghill addressing the national assembly on Thursday.

Ferguson asked the Minister for the reasons for the delay in the completion of the road project. The project was scheduled to be completed by July 20, 2023.

Additionally, the Public Works Minister also said the weather played a role in the delay of the project.

“Secondly, the other cause of the delay sir was rainfall,” Edghill told the House.

The Minister said that the drains along Cemetery Road have been consistently overflowing during the rainy season, causing water from the Le Repentir Cemetery to flood the road and stall the works.

Edghill said that ministry has sought engineers’ intervention to identify areas where the excess water can be drained out during heavy rainfall. He noted that several avenues have already been used to relieve the problem and reported that the project is progressing at a faster rate.

While the Minister was keen not to give a new deadline for the completion of the project, he was quick to tell his colleagues in the National Assembly that the contractor has been instructed to “speed-up works.”

“…And the ministry has indicated that it has no objections to subcontracting elements of the project since there are two bridges and two culverts to be built along with the road and the widening of the fence that components of this project should be contracted to improve the time,” Minister Edghill explained.

The Minister anticipates that the project will be completed before year end, should all go according to plan.

Avinash Constructing and Scrap Metal Inc. was awarded the contract for the road upgrade in 2022.

The scope of works for this project entails expanding the road to accommodate four lanes, construction of concrete drains, a walkway, resurfacing of the road and reconstruction of culverts.

The Cemetery Road upgrade is part of a $1.4 billion project that includes the enhancement of Independence Boulevard with the road being extended into three lanes and the establishment of a recreational promenade.

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Avinash Constructing and Scrap Metal Inc., Cemetery road, delay, Juan Edghill, Supernatural forces

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