IN keeping with a promise, media operatives were taken yesterday to the construction site in Leonora, of Guyana’s first synthetic track by the Ministry of Sport, to see how much progress has been made in recent months. Upon entering the site, Chronicle Sport immediately noticed changes to the ground work and perimeter fence as compared to two months ago when the site was last visited.
According to Patrick Pitt, Director of Design and Construction Services Limited, the major change to the track was the crusher run which was the final stage before asphalting and laying the synthetic surface.
What was also done was the application of the peat to the area of the football field. This was done about two weeks ago and will be treated for about six months before grass is planted.
Chronicle Sport learnt that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport terminated one of their recent contracts for the third and final phase of the project which is comprised of four lots.
Three of those four lots were assigned to new contracting agencies with works expected to be completed by a deadline.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony handed over contracts to the two services in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Director of Sport Neil Kumar.
Dr Anthony said, “This is our pilot project at the Ministry and we have been working at this for some time now and because of the complexity of the project we will be having a number of contractors on the site.”
“Some have not delivered on their contract in terms of the timeline and in the particular case of Mr Mangal, we had to terminate his and that cost us substantial time. We currently have him in court trying to recover some of the money paid.”
He continued, “We feel by awarding contracts to numerous contracting agencies that we can accelerate the progress completing the fence and other phases.”
“This year we will be receiving money to complete the stand so hopefully by 2014 the groundwork will be completed and we can run activities here but not accommodate spectators,” the Minister said in closing.
Earlier, King said, “You would have been aware that we had some difficulties with Lot 3 which would be the perimeter fence and JP Mangal would have been the defaulting contractor. He was terminated and penalties were applied according to the contract.”
According to PS King, the project is divided into three phases with a number of lots; the first phase was completed by Courtney Benn Contracting Services in 2012. That phase included site preparation and the access road, grubbing, applying the retaining walls for the track and also sub soil work.
The second phase was to lay the surface but it is dependent on the completion of sub lot two which when it is ready to the point where it is to be asphalted.
“This job still has to be approved by Regupol’s engineer so they are still waiting on the completion of the lot which is being done by BK International.
King disclosed that works are not just being done on lot two but contracts are being awarded so other works can continue around the site concurrently.
He also stated that soon the building of the ticket booth and entrance point control would commence.
According to Patrick Pitt, Director of Design and Construction Services Limited, the major change to the track was the crusher run which was the final stage before asphalting and laying the synthetic surface.
What was also done was the application of the peat to the area of the football field. This was done about two weeks ago and will be treated for about six months before grass is planted.
Chronicle Sport learnt that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport terminated one of their recent contracts for the third and final phase of the project which is comprised of four lots.
Three of those four lots were assigned to new contracting agencies with works expected to be completed by a deadline.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony handed over contracts to the two services in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Director of Sport Neil Kumar.
Dr Anthony said, “This is our pilot project at the Ministry and we have been working at this for some time now and because of the complexity of the project we will be having a number of contractors on the site.”
“Some have not delivered on their contract in terms of the timeline and in the particular case of Mr Mangal, we had to terminate his and that cost us substantial time. We currently have him in court trying to recover some of the money paid.”
He continued, “We feel by awarding contracts to numerous contracting agencies that we can accelerate the progress completing the fence and other phases.”
“This year we will be receiving money to complete the stand so hopefully by 2014 the groundwork will be completed and we can run activities here but not accommodate spectators,” the Minister said in closing.
Earlier, King said, “You would have been aware that we had some difficulties with Lot 3 which would be the perimeter fence and JP Mangal would have been the defaulting contractor. He was terminated and penalties were applied according to the contract.”
According to PS King, the project is divided into three phases with a number of lots; the first phase was completed by Courtney Benn Contracting Services in 2012. That phase included site preparation and the access road, grubbing, applying the retaining walls for the track and also sub soil work.
The second phase was to lay the surface but it is dependent on the completion of sub lot two which when it is ready to the point where it is to be asphalted.
“This job still has to be approved by Regupol’s engineer so they are still waiting on the completion of the lot which is being done by BK International.
King disclosed that works are not just being done on lot two but contracts are being awarded so other works can continue around the site concurrently.
He also stated that soon the building of the ticket booth and entrance point control would commence.