Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill on Wednesday lamented that the Lamaha Street extension works are behind schedule, the latest in a series of projects that have encountered delays.
“This project has been going on for too long, and it is clear, that there are challenges”, Edghill said, according to a brief release from the ministry.
One of the key sticking points has been miscommunication between the contractor and the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), the release said. The contractor stated that they were awaiting GWI’s pipe placement to complete their work, while GWI in the presence of the contractor, said, they were in fact waiting for the contractor to complete their sand filling, so that they could lay their pipes.
Edghill noted that the two entities have seen each other on site, several times, yet they have not been communicating. He told both parties that the way forward must be determined by the end of Wednesday so that the work will proceed to completion.
In February last year, Stabroek News reported that Devcon Inc was awarded a contract valued at $306.6 million and Sawa Investment Inc was awarded a contract valued at $192 million. Both contracts are for the rehabilitation of Lamaha Street between Vlissengen Road and Middleton Street, Georgetown. Work on both started on November 21, 2022 and was expected to be completed on July 21, 2023, more than seven months ago.
The scope of work included the removal of the existing asphaltic surface and reconstruction of the road, widening of the existing roadway, construction of a reinforced concrete retaining wall and a reinforced concrete drain on either side of the pavement alongside a rigid paved shoulder.
