Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 10, Dwight John has reported that St8ment Investment Inc has recommenced work on the Primary School at Bamia/Amelia’s Ward, Linden, some two months after it abruptly halted construction.
During a brief telephone interview with Stabroek News yesterday, John related that work was restarted on Friday, Octo-ber 7.
“The work was restarted based on the agreed time that you last reported. That is Friday and that is all I can say about the project at this time,” John said.
On Friday last, Stabroek News reported that works were expected to recommence on the stalled project. That information was presented by Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) Seewchan during the RDC’s statutory meeting.
He told the Regional Chair and Councillors that a meeting was held with both St8ment Investment and E&A Consultants where a commitment was made to recommence work on the project (Friday). He further stated that E&A Consultants also committed to submitting an updated work plan which would see at least 8% of the construction works being completed on a monthly basis.
However, Regional Chair Deron Adams told Stabroek News that as of Monday, October 10 work was still stalled. He said that the RDC will be visiting the project site today to verify if that situation has changed.
The project is being undertaken under the Ministry of Local Govern-ment and Regional Deve-lopment and in July of last year, the bids were opened. Four companies – Bulkan Timber Works Inc ($349,595,065), St8ment Investment Inc ($346,327,748), Orin’s Supreme Enterprise ($348,726,772) and A Nazir & Son Contracting & General Supplies ($340,549,671) – tendered for the project.
St8ment, with the second-lowest bid, received the contract which was signed by the principals of the company and REO John.
The project was expected to last for 20 months and is intended to benefit almost 800 students. Addi-tionally, a one-year defects liability period, after the completion of works, is catered for.
Works were stalled for over two months with no explanation provided to the RDC as to the reason behind the move. Some $68m had been paid over to the contractor.
Stabroek News visited the project site on Thurs-day last and it was evident that works had been stalled for a number of months now. The steel on the foundation is already corroding and a large chunk of the foundation is yet to be completed.
It is over one year now since the contract was awarded.
Stabroek News also observed that, apart from a few wheelbarrows and a concrete mixer, there was no other equipment on site. This newspaper also spoke with a few residents in the area and they said that it was almost three months now since the construction work had ceased. Addi-tionally, they noted that prior to the stopping of work, the contractors had significantly slowed down their activities.
St8ment Investment Inc, a company whose principals have been closely linked to the PPP/C government, was controversially awarded the $346 million contract for the construction of the school last year. The company, whose principals are Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment along with Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament, was just formed a few months prior to bidding for the project and has no proven construction background.
St8ment was incorporated in March of last year and since taking office, the PPP/C government has appointed the company’s principals: Major as Chairman of the Guyana Tourism Authority while Muhammed is Chairman of the National Sports Commission’s board.
Following the announcement of the signing, several questions were raised about the company’s competence to execute a project of this nature.
