–following delays, Minister Edghill affirms

MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill, last week, told the National Assembly that contractors executing the Cemetery Road widening project will intensify efforts to complete ongoing works following delays.

The minister was, at the time, responding to a question posed by opposition Member of Parliament, Annette Ferguson who inquired when the project will be completed.

The project, which had an initial date of completion in late July, was delayed by several factors, including intense rainfall.
Edghill said: “All of us would have seen and known that the drains in the cemetery road alignment have been consistently flooding and waters from the burial ground have been coming in.”

He related that they have been seeking engineering interventions so as to come to a solution of where to dispose of the water.
Other issues that caused delays included contractors changing several teams and the delay in the removal of utilities that are in the way of the project.

Edghill, however, said that despite these snags in the project, the ministry has been engaging the contractors and engineers, and instructions have been given for the contractors to speed up the project.

To facilitate this, he added: “The ministry has indicated that it has no objections to sub-contracting elements of the project, since there are two bridges, two culverts and a fence to be built, in addition to the widening of the road…”
Despite the hiccups, the Public Works Minister said that the government is anticipating the project’s completion before the end of the year.