The Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is moving to investigate the construction of the Supply Health Centre in light of concerns over the quality of work that has been done by the contractor.
A statement issued yesterday by the RDC’s Public Relations Department stated that the investigation was prompted by the contractor, Navin and Sons, failing to adhere to a cease order issue to him by the region’s Clerk of Works.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) Pauline Lucas previously reported to councillors that despite being informed about concerns about the quality of work and a directive to halt works, the contractor went ahead and cast the floor of the building. The REO noted that the floor was cast over a tree stump, which was supposed to have been removed.
Lucas subsequently had the works ceased, pending an investigation, including a test of the structure.
Senior Engineer Elon Austin has since reported to the RDC that a stress test conducted by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure found that the floor was of acceptable quality for the continuation of works.
According to the statement, however, a number of councillors from both the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C noted at recent meeting that the issue was not about the testing but rather it was about the contractor acting in defiance of an instruction given to him by the Clerk of Works. There was particular concern about the contractor’s defiance in light of the firm having some five contracts within the region and the potential implications for the other projects. Several called for action to be taken against the contractor, while noting that to allow such a misstep to slide would be sending the wrong message and setting the wrong precedent.
They further alluded to the fact that the engineer who was assigned to the project had given instructions to the contractor while he was on vacation, which they said was unacceptable.
Regional Vice-Chairman Earl Lambert told the meeting that several contractors are more interested in winning contracts than delivering quality work for taxpayers’ dollars. He also stressed that the region needs to take the requisite action against contractors who are bent on delivering poor quality work so as to ensure that there isn’t recurrence of such a situation. “I am not accusing anybody but it seems as though there was some arrangements with the person’s supervising the contract. The thing is that yes we want to give people work but if you are serious you have to start operating like you’re serious,” he said, while noting issues with the contractor who built a guard hut at Eccles. “You can’t give one man five contracts and all he is trying to do is to push the work and giving us substandard work and tomorrow he walks away and we are forced to spend monies to correct something that should have been new. I believe that there should be action taken against this contractor and I support the call for action,” he declared.
Regional Chairman Genevieve Allen, who voiced her concerns about the project rolling over to 2019, asked councillors to vote on whether action should be taken against the contractor or if a separate investigation should be conducted independently of the REO’s investigation. It was unanimously agreed that an independent investigation should be conducted by the members of the Works Committee. Allen promised to commission a special meeting shortly to commence the investigation.
