Synergy’s boss Fip Motilall is still being held to the September 9 deadline for the completion of the Amaila Falls access road project, government’s technical advisor Walter Willis says.
The government has not modified any part of the US$15.4 million project, Willis disclosed even as Synergy is badly behind schedule. According to Willis, Synergy is still expected to produce an all-weather road to the site, as well as the Butakari pontoon crossing, the Kuribrong bridge and 15 timber bridges.
Synergy won the contract for “the upgrading of approximately 85 km of existing roadway, the design and construction of approximately 110 km of virgin roadway, the design and construction of two new pontoon crossings at the Essequibo and Kuribrong rivers. The company was also to clear the pathway alongside the roadways to allow for the installation of approximately 65 km of transmission lines.
The Public Works Ministry granted Synergy the construction notice to proceed for Sections 1 to 5 on October 5, last year. The construction notice to proceed for Sections 6 and 7 was granted in January. Willis said that since the second notice was belatedly issued, the contractor was given back his time. The project has an 8-month time frame.
Willis said that Motilall has promised four-wheel access to the site by the end of June. According to Willis, four-wheel access by then is important because the contractor building the actual hydropower plant would need to get to the site shortly to do detailed soil analysis both at the dam site and reservoir in addition to other analysis.
Motilall has been encouraged to subcontract aspects of the project. According to Willis, so far Motilall has subcontracted a company to haul laterite. Willis said Motilall is currently in the final stage of negotiations with other contractors concerning other aspects of the project. It will be Motilall’s duty to ensure that these contractors deliver on the work in a timely manner with the expected quality.
The completion of the access road is seen as critical for financial closure to be secured for the construction of the actual hydropower plant. The project is being developed by Sithe Global.
