Residents, Contractor accuse Engineer of shoddy supervision

Nov 14, 2017 News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-shoddy-supervision/

…Government to be surcharged $15M for unnecessary downtime
An engineer attached to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is being accused of deliberately holding up road works on two main roads in New Amsterdam.

Residents are up in arms over the unnecessary inconvenience due to the slow pace of the work.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has undertaken some remedial works along the main road of New Amsterdam. The work has been ongoing for some time now and no progress has been made.

According to residents, the engineer’s estimate is wrong and the project is a waste of money. They stated that the engineer, Mitch Balkissoon and Company, wants the government to look bad. A number of shops cannot operate.

Contractor, Peter Lewis of the Associated Contractor Company told the media that the engineer is deliberating stalling the project for reasons best known to him. According to Lewis, the engineer is wasting money and causing a lot of inconvenience among the residents in the Town.

He said that the estimate is wrong. The engineer has given instructions to remove eight inches of asphalt from the road and to replace it with overburden and two inches of asphalt. “How can that be right?”

Lewis said that the project is a simple one and he wants to clear the air, because persons are blaming them for the delay. But the blame lies squarely at the feet of the engineer, whom he accused of having a personal vendetta.

“He continues to change the scope of work on a regular basis, something which I think he is doing deliberately.”

Lewis said that he has the equipment and material ready, but somebody in authority should find out from the engineers what is the problem.

Despite pleas from residents and the Contractor for senior officials from Georgetown to make a site visit, nothing has been done. Residents also want the engineer removed. “The government tell we that we must oversee projects and report if the work is not going accordingly. Now we doing that and the government is not responding.”

Lewis said that it is not the first time that the residents in Berbice are having problems with this particular engineer. He always gives instructions to stop and start. He continuously changes the scope of the work causing a lot of downtime.

He said that due to the engineer’s attitude and work ethics, he is preparing to surcharge the Government an extra $15M for two project which he unnecessarily held up for over two months on the Corentyne.

Residents, Contractor accuse Engineer of shoddy supervision

Nov 14, 2017 News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-shoddy-supervision/

He said that the estimate is wrong. The engineer has given instructions to remove eight inches of asphalt from the road and to replace it with overburden and two inches of asphalt. “How can that be right?”

A supervising Engineer cannot override the specifications in a contract.

Should such changes be needed, the revised works must be approved by a senior personnel.

New conditions for specific works are prepared in a well documented manner and the contractor then conducts the works -- generally known as day-works.

For day-works, payment are made at a higher rate than those specified in the contract.

Lots of incompetency under this government. It seems that the only recourse is to publish a letter in the news papers. These types of issues should not be political but sadly the jackasses running the country don't run a tight ship.