According to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI), Geoffrey Vaughn, the first phase of the works on the Kitty seawall sinkhole is yet to be completed because of the inclement weather.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Vaughn explained that the first phase is almost complete and the contractor, Colin Talbot Construction Services, is currently mobilizing its equipment so that they can begin the second phase of works.
“…They have to compact the area and it will be checked and tested but we can’t predict because of the weather conditions. It has to be well compacted and the moisture has to be out and then we will do our compaction test and at this moment with it being saturated it is difficult to execute any compaction test that would give you the result you need,” Vaughn explained.
He said that Tropical Storm Bret which is passing through the Caribbean triggered adverse weather which is affecting the project. “It’s not just about the rainfall so you have to wait on the whole weather system that is moving but so far it is good,” he said, while stating that the repair works should be on schedule.
A small sinkhole had initially developed late in December and since then MPI along with the M&CC had collaborated, enlarging it in order to apply a temporary fix on the problem. One of the engineers who was on site had explained to Stabroek News that the depression in the road, which resulted in the formation of the sinkhole, was due to a galvanized pipe bursting and letting water under the road.
Because of the excess water interacting with the earth, the road caved in.
Since then the city had applied a temporary fix to the pipe in order to stop it from letting water into the road. However, a week after, a few more depressions appeared on the road, several feet away from the sinkhole, suggesting that the temporary fix was not addressing the main issue.
These other depressions have to be addressed when the sinkhole project has been completed.
