St Joseph Opposition MP Terrance Deyalsingh said yesterday four major infrastructural projects are now immersed in alleged controversy and corruption.
He is asking for an official report and update from Nidco chairman Dr Carlson Charles and Minister of Works and Infrastructure Dr Surujrattan Rambachan.
In an interview yesterday, Deyalsingh said in 2013 at the consultation meeting to discuss the new structure and technical aspect of the St Joseph bridge, he had raised some serious concerns.
“I had raised issues about the technical competence of the contractor and the officials at the meeting back then were adamant that he is very much capable and could do this project. Now I am hearing about this,” Deyalsingh said.
A Sunday Guardian report said 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, was subsequently mandated to demolish the decking and steel work and redo the structure before work on the bridge resumes.
Rambachan explained that the contractor’s concrete was rejected and he had been asked to remove the concrete and replace it with proper concrete at his (the contractor’s) own expense.
“I have to beg to question, how many other bridges has this contractor built or was in the process of building,” Deyalsingh added.
Nidco chairman Dr Carson Charles assumed, according to the Sunday Guardian, that the contractor probably waited too long before using the concrete.
Charles explained that concrete deteriorates when it is not used in a timely fashion.
He added that the contractor may have taken a risk that he ought not to have taken because he was advised against it by the engineer.
The other three projects Deyalsingh is concerned about are the Curepe Interchange, the St Joseph Police Station and the Mount Lambert Community Centre.
“The community centre is 90 per cent completed over a year now and I don’t know what the delay is all about,” he added.
MORE INFO
The project, which falls under the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco), involves the reconstruction of the Bridge 1/12 on the 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.
MORE INFO
The Curepe Interchange entered into the spotlight when a letter of complaint was sent by Junior Works Minister Stacy Roopnarine to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar via email.
Roopnarine accused her boss, Works and Transport Minister Suruj Rambachan, of interfering in board-level decisions with regards to the award of that contract.