The Region Four Senior Superintendent of Works, Stephen Glasgow, was allegedly responsible for the $1.1 million Bobby White Street, Bee Hive North “flimsy” bridge project and he has been asked to explain his actions
A letter, dated July 13, 2009, was sent to Glasgow by the Region Four Regional Executive Officer (REO) Shafdar Alli informing him that “It has been discovered and confirmed that the construction of `Bobby [White]’ Bridge…was not built to specification.”
“This is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly”, the REO stressed in his letter. He further instructed the Senior Superintendent of Works to “state in writing who authorized the redesign” of the bridge and for what reason. “As the Officer-in-Charge of the project,” Alli’s letter continued, “you [Glasgow] allowed it to continue and also certified same for payments”.
Glasgow was further asked to state, by July 14, 2009, why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. Stabroek News was unable to reach Glasgow for a comment yesterday or determine whether disciplinary action was taken against him.
Concerns recently raised about the quality of the bridge resulted in Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn and Minister of Local Government Kellawan Lall visiting the site. Benn had explained last Tuesday that after his visit to the bridge on July 10 he had said that he would recommend that the officer, from whom his ministry had previously requested information about the project and who paid the contractor although the bridge was not built to specifications, be sent on leave pending investigations. There has since been no word on whether an investigation was conducted or any confirmation of who the “senior officer” is.
The “roughly constructed” bridge was built in less than a day and a subsequent inspection revealed that the project’s contract had most likely been breached by the contractor, Narindra Lachman. The bridge provides access from the East Coast Public Road to Bee Hive North and is the only way by which vehicles can access the area. However, it cannot take the weight it was supposed to carry.
This newspaper viewed a certified copy of the bill of quantities and contract for the project which was presented to Lachman and signed on October 20 last year. The document indicated that the total cost of the project would be $1, 383, 000. However, Stabroek News understands that the sum was later reduced by $200,000. Lachman and the REO, Alli, signed the project contract and work on the bridge commenced and ended on December 23 last year. Alli, according to the contract, was effectively the employer.
The contract signed by Alli and Lachman clearly states “…failing to complete all or part of this contract, a penalty of $1500 will be levied against the contractor for each day that the Contractor delays to complete works” within 30 days. However, there has still been no indication from the RDC of whether they will recognize Lachman’s failure to complete the bridge according to specifications as a breach of their agreement and if the penalty will be instituted.
The contract said in part that all work had to be completed to the satisfaction of “the Employer (Alli) or his duly authorized representative in accordance with the accompanying plans, schedules, etc. specifications and general conditions … and the Regional Executive Officer agrees that subject to the performance of the contractor of this contract, the contractor shall receive and be paid the sum” of $1.3M.
It seems, according to the July 13, 2009 letter, that Senior Superintendant of Works Glasgow was responsible for inspecting Lachman’s work before the decision was made to disburse the money. Glasgow would most likely have submitted a written document of some sort to the REO expressing approval of Lachman’s work on the bridge.
Repeated efforts made to contact Alli and Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette about the issue have been futile.
The RDC has not yet formally addressed this issue. They have said nothing about an investigation or what will be done about the “substandard” bridge which remains at Bobby White Street.
