Contractor blames shifting deadlines on late delivery of materials, Customs clearance delays
The deadline for completing the construction of the new Robb and Camp streets branch of Republic Bank has been extended for the third time in three months and Stabroek Business understands that the protracted delay in the completion of the project has become a source of concern to bank officials.
A Republic Bank source has informed Stabroek Business that the most recent date given by the contracting firm for the completion of the building is mid-May this year.
This newspaper had earlier been told that the project would be completed by the end of February and, subsequently, by the end of March.
A bank source told Stabroek Business earlier this week that the delays are due in part to problems associated with the supply of materials. However, Republic Bank also appears to be concerned over the failure of the contracting firm, KRS of Trinidad and Tobago, to meet the two earlier deadlines given for the completion of the project.
KRS Project Manager Keith Farfan acknowledged that the two previous completion deadlines had not been met but cited what he described as “various real and practical difficulties” for the delays. Farfan told Stabroek Business that the piles for the bank complex had been delivered two months later than promised and that despite that delay the project was now less than two months away from completion.
“We have actually been able to make up some of the time lost as a result of the late delivery of the piles,” he said.
The Trinidad and Tobago – born contractor also said that the unavailability of some materials associated with the construction of the building, including what he described as “some basic items” were not available in Guyana and had to be imported. He said that while KRS had anticipated this problem, what it did not anticipate were the long delays experienced in clearing goods landed in the country through Customs. Farfan said that he was confident, however, that the new mid-May deadline would be met.
Stabroek Business understands that the new Republic Bank building will accommodate the existing Camp and Regent streets and Savage street branches of the bank, as well as other departments.
Concerns have been expressed over the fact that the construction site encroaches on sections of a busy city junction including a section of the sidewalk on Camp street.
Republic Bank has secured permission from City Hall to utilize a section of the roadway to secure its construction site.
