Conversation Tree road project to meet completion deadline – Min. Edghill
Trinidad-based company, Kallco Guyana Inc, is expected to complete the Conversation Tree road project well within the stipulated deadline.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill made the announcement Tuesday, following the welcoming ceremony of Canada Jetlines and Fly Allways air services, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.
Minister Edghill reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that contractors adhere to their contractual obligations.
“We didn’t give Kallco any green light because they didn’t get a red light. Kallco had to move from being a place of a non-performing contractor into performing and delivering the project within the stipulated timeline,” he told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
Further, the minister highlighted the steps taken by Kallco to rectify their non-performance issues, emphasising their engagement with Guyanese sub-contractors to accelerate various aspects of the project.
While Kallco has made strides in bringing the project back on track, the public works minister cautioned against premature celebration, saying, “Not yet, I don’t give people a pass while they are still writing the exam, I want to see the results.”
The Conversation Tree road project begins at the Conversation Tree corridor which is approximately 1.9 kilometres from the East Coast Demerara Highway and will connect to Dennis Street. It is also linked to Sheriff Street from the Dennis Street corridor.
The project has been split into two lots, with Lot 8A being executed by S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc at a contract value of $1,066,358,738.
Lot 8B was awarded to Kallco Guyana Inc at a contract value of some $830.2 million. The project was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office in the previous year.
Works will entail the construction of a four-lane carriageway from the East Coast highway to Delhi Street, which will include a double-lane carriageway on the reserve west of Delhi Street for northbound traffic and will see the implementation of concrete revetments between the East Coast Demerara Highway and Railway Embankment, and concrete drains on both sides of the proposed roadway between the railway embankment and Delhi Street.
In addition, two concrete bridges will be constructed to establish a connection to Dennis Street. The project is expected to be completed by November 05, 2023.