By LETRE SWEETING
Tribune Staff Reporter
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
MINISTRY of Works officials showcased road improvement and flood mitigation equipment worth more than $1m yesterday.
Machinery and Energy (M&E) Limited presented officials with a 426 Backhoe, Skid-Steer Loader and a Sullair 375 Air Compressor with a Jackhammer.
Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said this was the first acquisition of substantial quality road improvement equipment in over 20 years. He said the government spent some $400,000 to acquire the machines.
“Some of these tools, which are vital for road redevelopment, as well as road paving, as well as some of the flood mitigation materials that we will see shortly, are necessary for ensuring that there is no ponding of water on our roads and in the communities of the country,” he said.
“These are vital tools. Currently, the ministry relies on a number of contractors. But there needs to be the capacity within the ministry itself so that it can be more nimble; it can respond to emergency needs much more quickly and efficiently, as well as utilising the road contractors.
“Immediately after the press conference, the equipment will be deployed in the field, because we have teams in various communities within New Providence ongoing work, and we will be deployed almost immediately.”
Henry Moxey, the chief drainage engineer, said the ministry also acquired seven pumps for the flood mitigation programme to address flooding concerns in New Providence.
“What I must note is this is the first, in a very long time, that we have actually made such an acquisition,” he said.
“We’re hopeful that with this acquisition, and with the use of them here on New Providence, that this similar process would be actually replicated on the Family Islands.”
Mr Moxey said the pumps can move 1,000 to 1,500 gallons per minute.
“If we were to put them in an area whereby we’re trying to do water, say, for example, a tank, this pump would probably collapse the tank because it’s pumping faster than probably that tank can actually support that pressure going into it,” he said.
He said immediate targets for the pumps are The Grove, Pinewood Gardens, South Beach, and other low-lying areas.
Mr Moxey also said the government had purchased Whopper Valves to stop water from coming through drainage infrastructures.
He said these valves have been installed in the Gleniston Gardens, Pinewood Gardens, West Grove and Over-The-Hill Grove areas.
“One of these is about $3,200,” he said. “We’ve actually made an investment of assets procured to date of over $700,000.”
Comments
bahamianson 8 months ago
That equipment does not belong to the ministry. The equipment belongs to the employees. They are the ones.whom are going to take themouy and use them privately. They will use them until they run them to the ground. The tax payers will not benefit. That is how it works in this make believe country. TELL ME I AM WRONG!! I AM WAITING.
BONEFISH 8 months ago
Sometimes i is just shake my head at some of the things in this country. There are very few competent managers in certain government agencies.The Ministry of Works being a major one. You mean to tell me after so many years, you finally brought new road improvement equipment. What were the previous directors of works and senior managers thinking?
I know of senior mangers in the real world. They have both produce a yearly expenditure budget. as well as a capital development budget They also have to produce a five and ten year capital budgets. You mean to tell me for twenty years, you do not purchase equipment of attempt to hire competent staff. Something is seriously wrong in this country.
ThisIsOurs 8 months ago
"Machinery and Energy (M&E) Limited presented officials with a 426 Backhoe, Skid-Steer Loader and a Sullair 375 Air Compressor with a Jackhammer."
3 vehicles for 14 major islands? This the plan? Ok some points for effort, but give us some useful information, clearly this equipment will replace the work of one maybe 2 contractors, it could only be in one place at a time, and the ministry has all the information of work that had to be done for the last 10 years. Tell us what youll save in time cost and quality. Since it isnt in tbe report, and this was a biiiggg deal to them since the minister show up for the photo,... they havent thought about it. this was a PR look we doing something election purchase
"If we were to put them in an area whereby we’re trying to do water, say, for example, a tank, this pump would probably collapse the tank because it’s pumping faster than probably that tank can actually support that pressure going into it,” he said"
as I thought... uncoordinated
JackArawak 8 months ago
and who is going to maintain this equipment? no one you say? LOL
Sickened 8 months ago
You guys above hit all the nails smack on the head. What this Minister thought was a good message actually made the ministry look like the absolute dimwits that they are. If this is the biggest news from the ministry in 20 years then that just makes the past 20 years of corruption even more obvious.
Alex_Charles 8 months ago
We have already privatised this. This is a pointless venture
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