The Paruima Airstrip in Region 7 required repair work mere months after its commissioning in April 2024 but is within the Defects Liability Period, the Ministry of Public Works said yesterday.
The ministry’s statement followed a flurry of reports about defects on the airstrip.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill yesterday defended the condition of the airstrip, stating, “There is no deterioration of the airstrip, there is nothing wrong with it.” He attributed the current challenges to the onset of the rainy season, explaining, “Planes can land, but the issue arises during taxiing at the hammerhead turn, where water has accumulated. The contractor is obligated to rectify this under the Defects Liability Period.”
Edghill emphasized his proactive approach in addressing the situation, mentioning his recent discussions with key stakeholders including the Toshao, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Ministry of Public Works aerodrome engineers, village residents, and regulatory authorities responsible for airstrip maintenance.
This development follows closely after a report by SN in May 2024, where residents voiced grievances about the newly commissioned airstrip. Edghill highlighted to SN that since the Paruima Airstrip is still within its defects liability period, any required rehabilitation costs would be borne by the contractor.
Despite efforts to resolve the issue, Edghill acknowledged obstacles caused by unfavourable weather conditions, noting, “The contractor is on-site but faces challenges due to soft clay and water accumulation (are) hindering the necessary repairs within the Defects Liability Period.”
Confirming the airstrip’s closure for operational purposes since the previous month, both the Acting Director General of the GCAA Chaitrani Heeralall and the Toshao of Paruima disclosed ongoing “development work” aimed at remedying the current setbacks.
A statement from the ministry last night said that works on the rehabilitation of Paruima Airstrip were completed on April 14, 2024, and the project site handed over to the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) on April 15.
MoPW’s representatives along with the Contractor conducted a joint site visit on June 19, 2024 following reports from aircraft operators that the runway was in distress. During the inspection, the statement said that several surface defects were highlighted and the Contractor was given clear instructions to have these remedied within a one-week period.
These defects have since been corrected and MoPW is currently executing plans to assess the structural integrity of the remainder of the runway structure to ensure conformity with design strength and correct any possible area of deficiency to avoid further inconvenience to aircraft operations.
Additionally, the ministry said that it should be noted that due to the remoteness of the location and the logistical challenges in transporting equipment and materials to the site, smaller sized equipment and locally available materials were most feasible for rehabilitation of the airstrip.
As it relates to the competency of the contractor, International Import and Supplies, the Port Kaituma and Baramita Airstrips were both rehabilitated by the Contractor in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The surface type of these airstrips is double bituminous surface treatment, they are in very good condition and no defects were observed to date, the ministry said.
