…Gov’t says key aspects of collapsed Indian monument were cleared by PPP

THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure has said that preliminary information suggests that the methodology used in the construction of the base of the Indian Immigration Monument at Palmyra was deeply flawed, which resulted in collapse of the structure and that key components of the project were cleared by the former PPP administration despite obvious defects.

“The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is deeply disappointed in the recent collapse of the base of the Indian Immigration Monument at Palmyra. This project commenced under the former PPP [administration], but was stalled for several years. The Coalition Government resuscitated the project to allow for its successful completion to honour our foreparents who came from India,” the administration said in a statement on Tuesday.

The monument collapsed on April 25, 2017, as workers were busy trying to complete it for Indian Arrival Day celebrated on May 5. The Guyana Chronicle was told then that the walls of the structure collapsed while workers were at work. An eyewitness who had spoken to this newspaper said the interior of the structure was being filled with sand when it gave way. The witness revealed that from his observations, the concrete work was fairly fresh and proper engineering procedures were not observed. “They were backfilling the inside of the building, but they did not tie the structure to avoid what happened.

The concrete is still not yet fully cured and they should have used steel to tie the walls from the insides to keep the structure in place. The other option would have been to secure it from the outside,” the witness said.
Following the collapse of the base of the monument, Cabinet took a decision that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) would assume responsibility for oversight of the project. The construction of the base represented Phase Two of the project. Phase One was construction of the access road – approximately 60% of which has been completed to date by the contractor for this phase — ‘Errol Lall Civil Engineering Works’ (ELCEW). Phase Three concerned landscaping and works have since been suspended. BK International has been contracted for Phase Three.

Following are the budgetary and financial details:
Phase One – Errol Lall Civil Engineering Works (ELCEW)
Budgeted amount: $43,027,544
Amount paid to date: $26,522,000
Phase Two – Alternate Contracting Enterprise (ACE)
Budgeted amount: $42,232,239
Amount paid to date: $22,803,000
Phase Three – BK International
Budgeted amount: $8,250,270
Amount paid to date: $7,335,000

According to government, following the transfer of documents related to the project from the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Minister within the Ministry, Annette Ferguson, called meetings with the supervisory consultants (FEBCAM), the design consultants (Innovative Engineering Consultant Services), the contractor (Alternate Contracting Enterprise), the MoPI Work Services Group Technical Team and other stakeholders.

Preliminary findings have thus far revealed that:
1. A design report for the project was not prepared.
2. IECS was not the initial designer of the project, Design Consultants Services Limited was.
3. Geotechnical surveys to determine soil properties and design requirements were not done. IECS requested geotechnical investigations, but was advised that this was not budgeted for. Assumptions were subsequently made for the soil data in lieu of geotechnical surveys. According to the release, it is important to note that this project commenced under the previous PPP administration and thus this aspect of the project was concluded prior to the Coalition Government coming to office. Further, the site for the monument was also selected by the previous administration with former Minister Dr Anthony then at the helm of the sector.
4. The Supervisory Consultant revised the project design without adequate engineering analysis.
5. The monument base was to have been constructed using a four-foot-wide footing.
6. Block walls were to have been infilled with structural concrete, not mortar.
7. The internal monument base was to have been 8” thick reinforced concrete wall and not blockwork infilled with mortar.
8. It was the infilling with mortar which was done and which subsequently failed.

“The MoPI Work Services Group Technical Team is engaged in conducting a comprehensive and thorough design review of the project, inclusive of geotechnical surveys. Specialised geotechnical surveys services are being contracted. It is important to note that the monument donated by the Government of India weighs a substantial 17 tons, therefore, geotechnical analysis is vital,” the release added. “The Coalition Government remains committed to the completion of the project and the erection of the Indian Immigration Monument at the earliest possible time. The Coalition Government is also committed to taking up the offer from the Government of India to provide technical expertise for the erection of the monument and will pursue this accordingly,” the release stated.