THE deadline for the Hope Canal project will most likely be extended to the end of this year, as the contractors said they will not be able to complete the work by the August 31 deadline.

This was revealed yesterday when the parliamentary Natural Resources Committee conducted a visit to the site of the project, led by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Mr. Lionel Wordsworth.
The US$15M Hope Canal project, which is expected to be the answer to the flooding experienced in the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary areas during rainy periods, has four components: the over 10-kilometre channel from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), a bridge across the public road, a conservancy head regulator with three gates, and sluice at the canal’s Atlantic end, which will have eight gates.
The canal is being excavated by the NDIA, while BK International was granted the contract for the bridge, DIPCON Engineering is constructing the sluice, and Courtney Benn Contracting Services holds the contract for the head regulator.
The deadline for the project was set for June of this year, but was subsequently extended to August, a deadline that the contractors are very unlikely to meet.
Team Leader for CEMCO/SRKN Engineering, the supervision consultants of the project, Mr. Raymond Latchmansingh, noted that while the contracts end in six weeks, there are provisions for the contractors to request an extension.
He stated that most likely the deadline will be extended to December 31, and he stressed that the project is at a stage where it can be done by that time.
Latchmansingh also said that the extension does not mean that there will be a requirement for additional funds, noting that the contract time is related to quantity of work done.
Meanwhile, Minister Ramsammy expressed satisfaction with the work that has been done on the project, thus far.
He related that he has had discussions with the engineers from the NDIA, as well as from the consultant and the contracting firms, and that he has been assured that the rest of the work will be finished with greater rapidity than the first part.
Ramsammy pointed out that many thought that this project would be impossible, because of geographical and natural constraints. However, he said that he is very proud that young Guyanese engineers have been able to overcome these constraints and have accomplished much.
Ramsammy advised that the August 31 deadline will indeed be surpassed. He noted that the canal itself, which is being done by the NDIA, can be completed but added that its completion is dependent on the completion of the other components.
“In terms of the canal itself, there are only short pieces left, but that’s dependent on the other structures, because we can’t take the canal to the conservancy till the head regulator is completed and we can’t build this part of the canal until this regulator is finished,” he explained.
As such, he said that they are awaiting the completion of those structures and the canal component should be finished by August 31.
The minister related that the sum total of the contracts for the project is around $3B and that no changes to that are anticipated at this time.
Meanwhile, members of the parliamentary opposition, who are a part of the Natural Resources Committee, expressed satisfaction at the progress made on the project and the fact that it is being done by young Guyanese people.
APNU’s Joseph Harmon expressed satisfaction at seeing Guyanese workmen and engineers working hard on a project of a national nature.
He noted that the project has had a very “rocky” beginning, but added that it has gone a long way. He further highlighted that it is important to ensure that there is good quality work and that there is value for money.
Meanwhile, Trevor Williams, who represented the Alliance For Change (AFC) on the visit, said that his party always appreciates any opportunity to have a first hand look at what is happening on the developmental front.
He stated that the project seems to be going ahead quite successfully and added that it is very assuring to hear the contractors echo no sort of alarm of major challenges concerning their ability to complete it.
He also echoed the sentiments of the APNU members and Minister of Agriculture, in seeing many young Guyanese people working on the project.
“Should we require a duplication of this effort anywhere in Guyana, we know for sure that we have a pilot project here and we have the competencies,” he said.