By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
IRAM Lewis, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works, announced that the contract for a $4.8m seawall project at Smith’s Point in Grand Bahama has been terminated due to serious project delays, among other points of concern for the ministry’s technical team.
However, he said, even though the contract was terminated, work will continue at the site.
Mr Lewis visited the site with a technical team from the Ministry of Works on Sunday. Senate President Katherine Smith and Minister of Youth Sports and Culture Michael Pintard were also present.
The contractor, Smith’s Construction, has failed to meet two completion deadlines – in January 2017 and a second revised date of May 17.
To date only 35 per cent of the work has been completed, leaving the community vulnerable to tidal surge.
Mr Lewis said officials plan to hold a town meeting with the residents of Smith’s Point to inform them of the situation surrounding the project.
“Right now, we are in the hurricane season, and the entire community is exposed, and we have to take remedial action to ensure that the community is protected from tidal surge,” he said.
“What we found out about the materials and the method of construction were enough grounds to terminate the contract. We want residents to know that even though the contract is terminated the work has not stopped and is ongoing.”
Smith’s Construction was awarded the contract under the former Christie administration on June 24, 2016 with a 26-week construction schedule.
Mr Lewis said consideration was given following Hurricane Matthew last October and the Christmas break and an adjustment was made to the actual commencement of the project.
“It should have started before the hurricane, but it started in January. And a revised schedule was submitted advising that construction would be completed by May 17,” he said.
It had previously been reported by Bahamas Information Services that work on the seawall started last August, but was hampered by Hurricane Matthew.
In addition to grave concerns over delays, Mr Lewis said inspectors had concerns about the materials and method of construction used in the project.
He explained that the concrete and method used were not certified by the testing lab and did not meet the required specifications.
“Notice was given to the contractor, and it happened on several occasions where it was not done in a timely manner,” he said.
Mr Lewis said that while Smith’s Construction is no longer the contractor, there are several other companies they are looking at to complete the work.
Toni Hudson Bannister, an official with the Ministry of Works, said there were numerous challenges concerning the slow progression of work.
“The methodology of getting the actual concrete into foundation was somewhat antiquated, and we never progressed from that methodology, and so work progressed very slowly,” she said.
“There were also multiple challenges with equipment failure on site, and there were problems regarding the placement of concrete in a timely manner, and we experienced some cold joints in some areas. We also had safety issues which we had to walk the contractor through daily,” she said.
Mrs Bannister said there is a lot of road shearing and coastal erosion due to tidal surge two weeks ago.
“A lot of sand has spilled into the active construction site, as well as fallen debris from the road. We need to take another route at this time, and we thank Smith’s Construction for work they have done, despite the challenges incurred,” she said.
Marcel Wilson, a resident of Smith Point, was upset about the termination of the contract.
“This is a drastic mistake,” he said. “There is no way I am in approval of this project being stopped. This is my community, and it is ludicrous to come and stop this project at this stage,” he said.
“I was here, and I watched the challenges the company went through with doing this seawall. And any company that would have been out here would have been faced with same problems,” he said.
Mr Wilson was also concerned about the safety of the children in the area and the huge open trenches filled with water.
“There is no security out here. You need 24-hour security in this community. If one of these kids fall in the trench with this thing being stopped and hurricane season is upon us, someone will have to give an account for why this project is being stopped. We cannot afford a day this seawall not being worked on,” he said.
Comments
sealice 6 years, 9 months ago
Lady if they keep building that wall they way they were you are in danger of huge chunks of concrete flying throught the air.... at you in your clapboard shack on the beach... who you think's gonna win that collision?
birdiestrachan 6 years, 9 months ago
Lewis say there are several other companies looking to complete the work. I will bet there are who does Lewis have in mind??. some should whistle while others point.
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