ROAD expansion works between Vreed-en-Hoop and Parika on the West Coast Demerara are expected to be accelerated with the investment in a state-of-the-art asphalt plant by

the two contracting companies – BK International of Guyana and Surrey Paving and
Aggregate Company Limited of Jamaica.
Speaking with the media during a site visit yesterday along the West Coast Demerara
was Project Manager for BK International and Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company
Limited, Lionel Kandasammy.
He spoke extensively of the investment by the two companies in acquiring the US$850,000
asphalt plant, which is being assembled at Boerasirie where BK International already has
a similar but smaller plant.
According to Kandasammy, the plant which is expected to be commissioned early in the
New Year has the capacity to produce about 160 tonnes of asphalt per hour, which would
allow the companies to pave two sections of the road simultaneously and at the expected
quality.
According to the senior manager, the paving of the road at two separate locations at the

same time will enable the works to be completed on schedule.
Reporters yesterday were able to see the components of the plant which is to be assembled,
including the drier drums, controls and coal feed bins.
The skeleton layout of the plant was at the location and an engineer from India where
the plant is sourced was on site supervising preparation works for assembling the plant.
Kandasammy said that in order to ensure that the plant is assembled on schedule; the
contractors have arranged to have double shifts.
All materials for the road expansion and more particularly for the operation of the
asphalt plant are being sourced from the Teperu operations of BK International.
EMPLOYMENT FOR 200
At present the two contractors together are employing a few dozen persons but once the
asphalt plant comes on stream, the total number of persons to be employed will be
approximately 200 with 40 per cent of them being locals employed by BK International.
Additional employment will be created for persons in the area of paving the road,
maintenance of the plant, and other areas even as the project reaches the more
developed areas where more manpower will be required.
The asphalt plant was manufactured by the “Apollo” company which has sold similar
plants in many parts of the world. According to the contractors Guyana is said
to be the only country in South America with such a plant.
The company has sold and installed asphalt plants in countries such as Egypt,

Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Dubai, Iran and
Iraq, according to the representative who is supervising the assembling of the machinery.
He stressed, however, that in assembling the plant they have to take into
consideration the weather conditions as there are many electrical and other works
that have to use electricity.
The West Coast Demerara Road Project was signed in 2014 by the previous government to
the tune of approximately US$44.3 million. The contract is also supported by funding
through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.

By Leroy Smith