Works and Infrastructure Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan has launched a probe into the $15 million St Joseph River bridge project after the concrete decking on the project failed concrete tests and standards specifications.
The contractor, KJS Enterprises Ltd, has been mandated to demolish the decking and steel work and redo the structure before work on the bridge resumes.
Yesterday, Rambachan, in a telephone interview, confirmed there were some issues with the project. The minister explained that the contractor’s concrete was rejected and he had been asked to remove the concrete and replace it with proper concrete.
“All of that will be done at the expense of the contractor. I have warned contractors before that they must maintain standards and that I will not tolerate poor material or poor workmanship,” the minister declared.
Rambachan added that he was also doing his own investigation as to whether the consultant on the job was not “in fact as vigilant as the consultant was supposed to be.”
He said he would also be doing an internal probe at his ministry.
“This is a serious thing,” he said.
The minister added that he had quality control people who tested the concrete, asphalt and other materials used in all road projects.
He said this was not the first incident in which a contractor had to redo the work on a project.
“Over the past couple of months, since I have been here, a number of contractors have to redo certain roads and so on. I will continue to maintain my emphasis on getting the best quality and best standards according to international standards,” he said.
The project, which falls under the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco), involves the reconstruction of the Bridge 1/12 Eastern Main Road, also known as the St Joseph River Bridge, and is spearheaded by the Ministry of Works’ Bridges, Landslips and Traffic Management Project Implementation Unit. Work on the project began on January 6, 2014.
The reconstruction is necessary since the 75-year-old steel truss bridge was listed as structurally deficient.
The project was expected to be completed in 14 months.
Yesterday, Nidco chairman Dr Carson Charles said the contractor had been progressing well with the project until the concrete failed testing.
“The bridge was supposed to be opened soon, but there was a problem with the concrete he used on the deck and my information is that he probably waited too long before using the concrete.
Concrete deteriorates when you do not use it in a timely fashion. He took a risk that he ought not to have taken, because he was advised against it by the engineer,” Charles explained.
Engineering firm BBFL, Charles said, was supervising the project.
He could not say what cost the contractor would incur to redo the decking and steel work.
However, the Nidco chairman said, the demolition and reconstruction would result in a two-month delay.
“The cost is all his. He took an unwise risk and he has to face the cost of demolition and recasting and so on. I know he submitted a demolition plan this week. I do not know if he has started,” Charles added.
The contractor, he said, would probably be pushed to shorten the delay, since liquidation damages and penalties could be incurred for further delay.
However, he said, “You may not want to apply punitive damages. It is bad enough that he already has to carry all of the cost of demolition, removal and redoing it. Contractors make mistakes all the time. All you can do is make them correct it at their cost, make them redo it and hope they learn their lesson to take less risk.”
Charles added that this incident would be noted on the contractor’s record.