The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has issued a statement on a ‘slanted report’ in yesterday’s issue of the Kaieteur News captioned,”$5.2M sluice door estimate questionable.” The NDIA described the article as designed to ‘berate’ government’s developmental works to better the lives of Guyanese.
Following is the text of the NDIA statement:

Farmers and residents of Stryken Hovel had made representation to the
Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)
for rehabilitation works be done on the sluice as it current condition posed
a flood-threat to thousands of acres of agricultural land. The NDIA, in
accordance with the relevant procurement laws, responded to the needs by
advertising and putting out a tender to replace the doors as detailed in the
bill of quantity which would benefit approximately 3,000 acres of farmlands.
This project was included in the 2011 Budget.

The $5.2M estimate is for work on the entire sluice including two doors,
not one door as claimed by the Kaieteur News.

The scope of works and estimated cost which serves as a guide for the
project included:

*         the installation of two sluice doors
*         the installation of stop logs

*         de-watering the pits of both sluice gates

*         removal of existing sluice doors

*         installing new doors, servicing and repairing the lifting mechanism

*         Other associated works including wire ropes, pulleys, gate guides,
guiding strips and the installation of various new components.

*         a contingency sum for unforeseen works

*         Cost for performance bond

*         Cost for insurances as contained in the National Procurement and
Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) standard bidding document. These are
cost elements that the Kaieteur News omitted in its story.

If we were to extract the estimated cost to build a single new sluice door
of specification given without the necessary temporary work and associated
civil works, performance bond, insurances, cost for unforeseen works which
can only be executed if directed by the engineer, repairs to lifting
mechanism and replacement of various new components, the estimated cost for
the replacement of one of the two sluice doors would in fact be $1.25M which
will not see a fully operational structure. However, to ensure both gates
and lifting mechanism are at its optimum integrity and operational, the scope
and cost reflect the installation of the two doors.

It must be pointed out that several of the bidders quoted prices that were
above the engineer’s estimate which serves as a guide intended to generate a
competitive and transparent process.

In addition, no remedial works were done by the NDIA, but rather by the
Regional Democratic Council (RDC) over the last few years. It would seem
that the article is the latest attempt by the Kaieteur News to berate
developmental projects by the government to better the lives of Guyanese.