Former Minister calls for full-fledged probe
CJIA expansion project
…questions how a fixed-price contract could change in scope, intent
Former Public Works Minister under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Robeson Benn, has supported calls for “a full-fledged public investigation” into the controversial Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project, particular the fixed-price contract with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) which the coalition Government has “tremendously modified”.
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/robeson-benn.jpg)
“I support calls for a full-fledged public investigation into how a fixed-price contract could be subject to changes in scope and intent,” Benn said in a statement on Tuesday in response to comments made by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson on Monday.
Minister Patterson, in a statement posted to his social media account, threw the blame for the delays of the CJIA expansion project at the feet of the former Administration, despite taking control of the project almost four years ago.
However, in a subsequent missive on Tuesday, Benn explained that Guyana entered into the design and build fixed-price contract with CHEC for the expansion of the CJIA to address issues such as congestion and ageing facilities. He noted that the payment was made on the usual 30 per cent mobilisation advance to the Chinese company, which was bonded.
“Initial delays in project start-up occurred as CHEC sought to extract an increase in the project sum by US$30 million. Their effort was refused based on international contracting rules for fixed-price contracts and the considered view that they sought increase was not warranted, anyway,” he stated.
Impairing project’s integrity
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/David-Patterson-3.jpg)