Dear Editor,
The residents of Hosororo and Wauna are very concerned about the rehabilitation works presently taking place on the Wauna public road in Region One. This road is being done by a contractor from Georgetown.
The work on this road runs for a long distance. When people saw the types of machine that were brought in on a pontoon they were very glad, and at the same time thought employment would be open to some people. This had been a promise since 2001.
The work commenced from Wanaima to Wauna, then on to Yarakita which is much further away. What surprised a lot of drivers is the manner in which the road is being constructed. They grade off about six inches of dirt and place about another six inches, and then they do the compaction; they call it throw and roll, to fill the holes.
The material they are using is red loam, and whenever the rain comes this will wash away because the road is very low. It needs to be raised, but they claim that they only catered for a certain amount of cubic yards of dirt to use on it. They are moving at a very fast rate and a lot of substandard materials are being used. From Wanaima to Wauna is a distance of two miles and this is nearly completed.
For over ten years money has been spent from the regional budget for this particular road, and there is no improvement for the people of Wauna. They have been asking for proper road since 2001 and up to this time their wishes have not been fulfilled. Everyone was expecting the road would have bitumen but this is not to be, even after seeing a bitumen tank.
I have never seen any clerk of works on the site to observe the type of work they are delivering for their money. I have made special enquiries about the cost of this contract and no one in our sub-committee works meeting could give a figure. I was promised that in less than twenty-four hours I would have the true figure from the Ministry of Works.
The people of Mabaruma sub-region should know the cost of this project; this is the only way we will be able to assess the kind of road we can expect from the contractor. The road has already started to show signs of deterioration.
This region should be shown greater respect. Proper work must be done by these out-of-region contractors. Local recruitment for this project so far amounts to three Amerindians from Tobago Hill.
Monies are not allowed to circulate in our region; the contractors take away ⅞of the contract value, and this is serious. It is hard to understand that millions of dollars are being allocated for your region by contract and you cannot get a job.
They should follow the motto: ‘We give and we take in return.’
Yours faithfully,
Michael Hope
