Residents of Leguan are calling for the immediate replacement of barnacle-infested planks used for the upgrading of the Leguan Ferry Stelling.
When Stabroek News visited the island on Sunday, pest-ridden planks were seen along the stelling in parts that were said to have already been upgraded. The contract for the upgrade of the stelling was awarded to S. Maraj Contracting Services in 2018 for $413.2 million.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s (MoPI) Public Relations Department, when contacted by this newspaper on Tuesday, said they needed to look into the matter. Later on Tuesday, it was said that the wood residents are complaining of were the old planks that were there already. The ministry said that a further response would be given to Stabroek News the following day but subsequent attempts to reach the officials were futile.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post made to the ‘Friends of Leguan Island’ Facebook group on Tuesday by resident of the island Hans Buer, it was indicated that the MoPI ordered that the infested planks be replaced immediately. Buer, in an interview on Tuesday, said, “The ministry informed me this morning that the contractor S. Maraj [has] to replace all planks which are infested with barnacles.”
One person who commented on the post said, “Well, in the first place, it shouldn’t be there!! If the stelling is being overhauled after such a long wait, the quality of work should be excellent.” The person added that it seems like the people of Leguan do not matter because while other places are provided with new stellings, Leguan has been awaiting a new stelling for a long time.
Others demanded that the planks be removed immediately.
A taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said that up to Wednesday afternoon, the planks were still there.
He added that it was almost impossible for him to drive onto the stelling without pieces of the planks breaking off due to its decaying state. He posited that the infested planks were brought to the island some eight months ago and left lying along the river’s edge, exposed to the weather, insects and the ‘salt-water’ river. The condition of the planks laid was not the only issue he raised and he highlighted the state of the beams that are supporting the stelling.
“They even use back the old beams them. The piles them that they drive down not even close enough. The distance between them is far apart,” he said.
The section of the stelling that has been replaced with newer looking but infested planks after being measured by a resident was said to be 24 feet in length, half of which was said to be infested with barnacles.
