THE Government of Guyana is still awaiting the submission of a revised work plan from China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the protracted US$150 million Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.
President Irfaan Ali had expressed dissatisfaction with the work done so far by the contractor and asked that they “get it right.”
Getting it right involves producing a revised worked plan which captures the terms agreed to in the initial contract signed by the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government and the contractor in 2011.
This project was due for completion in December 2017, but the scope of work and deadline were reviewed by the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, and a deadline of December 31, 2018 was set.
The project, under the PPP/C, was signed as an agreed package, including design, building and handing over, but over US$144 million has already been expended on the project and the work has been deemed unsatisfactory.
The initial project, before being reviewed by the past administration, included the extension of the runway from 7,500 to 10,800 feet, so as to accommodate the BOEING 747-400 aircraft. It also included eight passenger boarding bridges, among other things.
Through the revised contract, only four air bridges were installed, because no new building was built for the apron.
As part of the original contract, the CHEC was expected to tear down the existing terminal building, and construct a new one which could accommodate eight air bridges.
But what the new contract actually did was facilitate the refurbishing of the terminal building, and installation of only four air bridges. There is also a myriad of other issues plaguing the facility, including a malfunctioning sewerage system.
“The government expects the delivery of an airport in keeping with the initial contract that was signed between the government and CHEC,” said Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, in an invited comment, on Monday.
Although work is ongoing at the facility, the Minister said government is yet to receive the revised work plan, which includes the new timeline for completion from CHEC.
Glaring inefficiencies and shortcomings in the project had forced President Ali to say that Guyana will only accept work as was outlined in the original contract and will not accept the unsatisfactory work done so far.
“I am holding everyone responsible; the contractor, the consultant, the project management team… This is not acceptable for the Guyanese people. In this current position, it is very clear, from all that I have seen and heard, and from all the questions asked, it is very clear that something is horribly wrong. The right decision at this moment is that we cannot accept this, “President Ali had said last month during an inspection of the works at the airport.
While the new PPP/C administration believes that concerns and problems related to the project are many, their intention is to see its completion in keeping with the agreed scope that was signed.
Outside of the revision of the project, Minister Edghill, during the recent budget debates and consideration, had said it will need over $1.3 billion to “fix things” not included in the contract.
