Synergy Holdings Inc, the company which is constructing the access roads for the Amaila Falls hydro-electricity project is seeking truckers to work on a contract basis in hauling laterite to the project area.
There have been concerns over the sloth in the project which was expected to be completed this month by the Fip Motilall-led company and the recent move by the contractor indicates a likely further delay in completion.
According to a notice which appeared in yesterday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle, the company is requesting the services of dump truck owners who will be paid by ‘ton miles’ or by ‘cubic meter -km’. The trucks should have a loading capacity of 20-tons and the contracts may last for 2-3 months or longer.
This newspaper reported recently that a review of the Amaila Falls access road conducted by external consultants in June highlighted the poorly outlined specifications in the original project document and recommended immediate changes to the design including widening the road and reducing its steepness.
According to documents seen by this newspaper, Sithe Global, the developer of the project, contracted BBFL Caribbean Ltd in collaboration with Earth Investigation Systems Ltd to undertake a review of the proposed road to see whether the road, as designed and specified, would be able to function for its intended use. The review was conducted by the consultants in June and a final report was released in July.
Reliable sources provided evidence to this newspaper which suggested that the report came months after representatives from the proposed hydropower contractor China Railway visited here in March/April and expressed concern about the road being unable to satisfy their demands.
This prompted an entire review of the road by the various entities involved in the US$15.4 million project currently being undertaken by Synergy Holdings Inc, this newspaper was told.
The government later sought to explain modifications to the project, noting that the additional sums to be spent on the project will help to reduce its overall cost.
The Government of Guyana is funding the construction of the Amaila Access road, as part of its equity contribution to the entire Amaila Falls Hydro-electric Project.
