By Joseph Allen
The Conversation Tree to Dennis Street – Exit to Sheriff Street Project is one month behind its extended completion deadline, and the Ministry of Public Works (MOPW) says it is going ahead with implementing liquidated damages and possible termination of the Kallco Guyana Inc. contract.
The Ministry at the same time is saying that S. Jagmohan Construction & General Supplies Inc., will complete all remaining works in the New Year.
The project starts at the Conversation Tree corridor and was to link Sheriff Street to the Dennis Street corridor. This project was split into two lots with Lot 8 A executed by S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc., for $$1,066, 358,738, and Lot 8 B executed by Trinidad company, Kallco Guyana Inc., for $830,293,458. Both projects had as their completion dates September 5, 2022, and November 5, 2023, respectively.
However, since the project started several issues have been raised, progress of works being one of which Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill cited back in July. Then 65 percent of the contract time had elapsed but only 25 per cent of the work was completed, Edghill had told the Stabroek News. Coupled with that, residents had also complained to Stabroek News about stagnant water, breeding of mosquitos and issues with accessing their properties. Edghill had urged the contractors then to increase their production pace to ensure that the project was completed on time and to minimize any discomfort to residents. Edghill was forced to issue another statement, which the Stabroek News reported on, cautioning the contractors about their non-performance, especially, Kallco Guyana Inc. Sometime after, Edghill said that the ministry will approach the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) regarding blacklisting of Kallco Guyana Inc, from any future contracts in Guyana due to their being a “non-performing contractor.” However, officials from the company met with the Ministry and the contractor was given the green light to resume work but without changes to the original completion deadline.
Currently, the project is one month past its deadline and it remains nowhere close to completion. As of November 24, 2023, the overall progress of the entire project is approximately twenty-five percent complete, according to the Ministry. Edghill, in a statement, listed two different directions it will take. The Ministry said following their engagements with Kallco Guyana Inc. in August 2023 to address the slow progress of the works, several commitments were made by the contractor to advance the works but approximately only twenty-five percent was completed which seems to be a result of some challenges still faced by the contractor. Consequently, the ministry said it will now proceed with implementing liquidated damages and consider terminating the contract. The ministry said that as previously indicated to the contractor in August, the status then of the project would not have allowed it to be completed by the November 5, 2023 deadline and even now, even if the contractor address the resource shortages, the project may not be substantially completed by December 31, 2023. According to the Ministry, in the coming month, Kallco was expected to do the sub-base and base course construction, construct a revetment along Dennis Street and also construct a concrete bridge at Dennis Street.
S. Jagmohan Construction & General Supplies Inc. on the other hand, as of November 24, 2023, has only completed sixty-five percent of their works. However, according to the Ministry, the project is set to move to approximately eighty per cent completion by December 25, 2023. Paving will commence on December 1, 2023, and is expected to be completed by January 20, 2024. All works by Jagmohan are expected to be completed by January 31, 2024, the Ministry said. Works left out are the excavation of a section of Delhi Street, the sub-base and base course construction of a section of Delhi Street, the construction of a concrete bridge at Dennis Street and also the pole planting for street lights. The Ministry added they will engage both contractors in the coming week to address the current status of the projects and how to bring them to substantial completion by December 31, 2023.
The Conversation Tree Project was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board in 2022.