Timehri airport road upgrade hits snag
ON August 8 and 15 this year, BK International  signed two contracts for the improvement of the  existing roadway and construction of a new access road to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). But on Wednesday, representatives of the contractor expressed utter disgust at what they claimed to be  foot-dragging on issues relating to the forward movement of the project,  which could ultimately affect the timely completion of the works.
The first contract, costing US$1.7M, is fully sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has an eight-month deadline, and involves recapping the existing roadway four inches higher,  and widening the shoulders to include a walkway.
The second contract, valued at $618M and funded by the IDB and the Government of Guyana, has a one-year deadline and entails the construction of a new access road to the airport.
Both projects are supervised by E & A Engineering and  are well under way, with the first about 70 percent completed, while that aspect where the contractor has to remove grass so as to facilitate actual construction is about 60 per cent completed.
This is according to Project Engineer,  Satti Babu, attached to BK International, who explained that there appears to be foot-dragging in relation to the removal/shifting of some 33 poles within the contract area, and which, if not addressed with some amount of urgency could ultimately delay the timely  completion of the project.
He noted that since the weather has been favourable on most days to the contractor, they would like to capitalize on this period.
There are about eight poles which are in the way of the project works for the first contract, and the remainder sited in Contract Two.
Additionally, the engineer pointed out that lands in the vicinity are relatively high, and with no proper drainage, it has been observed that water, after it runs off the land, goes into the drain which subsequently overflows on to the roadway and remains there.
Babu explained that this is not good for any construction works, as the water constantly lodging on the road will weaken the shoulder and cause water to seep underneath the construction and ultimately result in serious damage.
The engineer said BK, two weeks ago, brought to the attention of the consulting firm the need for a new drainage to be in place, as well as for the removal of the existing fence surrounding the Police Station, but is still awaiting a response.
The fence in front of the GDF Timehri compound has to be removed, along with some GWI pipelines.
Babu said GWI and BK have already amicably worked out the modalities  of removing the water pipelines, and this will be done by the contractor.
And, in relation to the removal of the utility posts belonging  to GT&T, the company said a letter was dispatched  in September from Mr Brian Tiwarie, Managing Director, BK International to  Mr. Yog Mahadeo, Chief Executive Officer, GT&T requesting “the permanent relocation of existing buried and  aerial outside plant structures ” within the work limit of the construction of a new access road from the Timehri Police Station to the airport.
But BK said it was stunned when GT&T  submitted an estimate, dated  September 21, 2011, to the company, a copy  which the Chronicle has seen, with a total sum of $71, 825, 742,000  to  cover the cost of relocating their structures with the work area, materials, labour, contract, overheads and inclusive of the 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT ).
In addition, GT&T has asked for “the amount invoiced paid in a timely manner,” and has submitted the name and telephone number and extension of the official whom BK should  contact to arrange for payment to be made.
GT&T has also copied the correspondence to  Mr. Rickford Lowe, Coordinator of the Work Services Group  (WSG) in the Works Ministry  and a number of its own senior officials.
BK’s Managing Director is questioning what he terms “an astronomical amount” submitted by GT&T.
As it relates to GPL, the company had submitted to BK an invoice for $6, 815, 465  as payment for relocating their utility poles.  However, despite the money being paid in full on September 5, GPL has not begun to effect any work as yet, claiming that it does not have the materials to do so.
Babu said the poles will have to be removed to allow for the final paving to be done, which, when completed, will see the roadway lifted by four inches.
And, alluding to the second contract and works to be done, Babu reiterated that while 60 per cent of the grass has been removed, which exercise he termed ‘grubbing’, progress has been hampered by the presence of the GT&T and GPL poles in the direct path of the construction works.
The BK official said everything is already in place, such as equipment, manpower, and materials  for the work to proceed full steam ahead, adding that the ball is now in the court of GPL and GT&T.