Chinese firm bids US$75M to repair East Bank Public Road

Dec 13, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has submitted a financial proposal of US$75 million to undertake the repair works on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) corridor from Good Success to Timehri.

This project is being done by the Government through the Ministry of Public Works and is being funded by a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Guyana to the tune of US$117 million.

At the opening of tenders on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office it was revealed that CRBC bid US$75,887,907 for the project. It was reported that CRBC was among China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co. Limited in joint venture with China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Limited, and Brazilian firm – Alya Constructora S.A who were previously prequalified for the project.

Section of the East Bank of Demerara roadway.

Kaieteur News had reported that the East Bank road is being rehabilitated under the IDB’s Programme to Support Climate Resilient Road Infrastructure Development. Through this programme, the IDB would finance US$100 million towards the project while the Government of Guyana would finance the remaining US$17 million. The loan was signed on March 6, last and it is for five years.

Speaking of the loan at an event in May, the ministry’s Project Manager, Mark Greene had stated that it is to advance Guyana’s safe and efficient roadway using climate- resilient infrastructure, but specially to improve road surface quality, as well as the utility service provided along that corridor. The project will see the rehabilitation of 23.5 kilometres of the highway, with a boundary from Good Success to Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

The rehabilitation of the road includes widening to cater to pedestrians and cyclists, landscaping and curb improvements, rehabilitation of drainage, and retrofitting of bridges and culverts, among other upgrades. Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill when speaking of the project had mentioned that it is very important and that it is no walk in the park project given the number of vehicles that traverse that corridor on a daily basis. “The residents of the East Bank corridor where this road serves…I’m sure as important stakeholders, they will be satisfied. But I also have to caution that building this road that is so heavily trafficked right now is no walk in the park, it’s the biggest challenge to the project team, to the engineer and whoever would be that successful contractor,” he had stated back in May.

While a contractor is yet to be awarded the project, in August this year, bids were read for the supervision services for the project. At that opening it was revealed that Sheladia Associates Inc. bid US$ 7,976,000 for the project, EXP Services Inc. bid US$ US$11,828,883, and Politecnica bid US$10,890,000. These firms were previously shortlisted along with Beston Consulting Limited out of Trinidad and Tobago for the project.

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China Road and Bridge Corporation, East Bank of Demerara., Good Success to Timehri, Inter-American Development Bank, NPTAB

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