Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has indicated that contractors have made significant progress on the construction of the Hope Canal on the East Coast of Demerara. The minster made this comment during an interview with the media yesterday .
He said the ministry does not foresee difficulties in the timely completion of the channel, together with its associated structures, such as the dams.
However, he said that as for associated structures, the contractors have been complaining about the unavailability of sufficient piles to get the job done.
He attributed this to the many infrastructural projects that are being undertaken in Guyana.
“If you go along Sherriff Street, and if you go along the East Coast, if you go to any part of the country you will see all these constructions with piles driven,” he said.
“We are hoping that the pile driving at all three sites will be finished between September and October,” Minster Ramsammy noted.
If works are completed as planned, the entire Hope Canal project will be completed by May of 2013.
The construction of the public road bridge is the responsibility of DIPCON Engineering Services Ltd.
The main activity at the site is the driving of pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete piles. These piles are constructed at DIPCON’s pre-stressed casting yard at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice.
The construction of the high level outfall sluice structure, at the Atlantic Ocean end, north of the Hope Secondary School, is the responsibility of Courtney Benn Contracting Services Ltd.
BK International Incorporated is responsible for the construction of the head regulator on the East Demerara Water Conservancy, to link the channel.
Agriculture Minister, Leslie Ramsammy, is urging the contractor to ensure that work is done within the stipulated timeframe.