Residents concerned about Berbice road contract
…claim Regional Chairman, contractor wasting time and money
A section of the East Bank Berbice road is soon to be rehabilitated but residents are not too happy with a number of issues concerning the contract. Recently a contract to the tune of $434.4 million was tendered for rehabilitation work on one section of the East Bank Berbice Public Road, from Everton to Lighttown.
The residents are questioning why only the road from Everton to Mara is being done and not the section from New Amsterdam to Everton.
Residents are also concerned that the contract will be awarded to H. Nauth and Sons Construction Company, which has continuously been doing bad work on the road.
The residents told the media that they are not happy with the substandard work Nauth has been doing on the road. They do not want him to continue to work in their community. The contract is to be awarded today.
Substandard works done by Nauth Construction a few months ago
Residents are upset with the treatment they have been getting from the government and the many excuses over the years. On one occasion, the government had promised that the Ministry of Public Works would have done continuous remedial work until the promised Inter American Development Bank contract to reconstruct the road comes on stream.
However, they are now suspicious even before the work has begun as instead of a team from the Ministry of Public Works being assembled to do the work, Contractor Nauth turned up without warning and started to work on the thoroughfare. After a few weeks the programme collapsed; the road deteriorated.
Back then, Regional Chairman David Permaul Armogan and residents had stated that what Nauth was doing was a waste of taxpayers’ money.
According to the residents, the government had promised them temporary relief by doing continuous maintenance, but what contractor Nauth did was a joke. “What he did only lasted for a few days and then wash out; it is plenty ‘naught’ work and a waste of taxpayers’ money. Nauth collects close to $100M to do patch work and the work does not last”.
The residents said that the Associated Construction Service (ACS) recently did some remedial work in the area and the quality was far better. They are now clamoring for that company to be awarded the job.
According to prominent East Bank Berbice residents, Samuel Monah and Ramesh Maraj, who are heads of the East Bank Berbice Road Users Association (EEBRUA), something has to be afoot if the contract is given to H. Nauth and Sons Construction.
President of the East Bank Berbice Hire Car Association (EBBHA), Maxwell Semple had blasted the government for its contempt of East Bank Berbice residents and being in bed with Contractor Nauth. “If something is to be done let it be done properly.”
The residents complained to everyone in authority, including President Donald Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Works Minister Robeson Benn and Junior Finance Minster Juan Edghill, about their predicament.
Region Six Chairman David Armogan had stated that what Nauth was doing was not what was suggested. He saw it as meaningless and a waste of taxpayers’ money. He had said that the contractor was expected to ‘dig out’ the bad areas and fill them with crusher run and then pack reef sand on top and then apply asphalt over.
The 25-mile stretch of road between New Amsterdam and Mara is home to thousands of families and a number of businesses. The residents say they will be holding the government wholly and solely responsible for their continuous predicament.