The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

IRAM Lewis, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works, has given an update on major capital works projects totaling some $48m that are underway on Grand Bahama.

He reported that officials have decided to expand the scope of work at the $4.8m Smith's Point seawall project to include road paving throughout that coastal community.

Mr Lewis, the MP for Central Grand Bahama, was very pleased with the seawall construction.

"The project is very well done in a timely manner, and the community now has a protective barrier eliminating possible erosion and washout," he said during a recent press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport.

"One of things we had to do early in our administration was discontinue our relationship with one Bahamian contractor and hire another Bahamian contractor to carry out major capital works in Smith's Point," he explained.

Smith's Construction was initially awarded the contract under the former Christie administration, however due to serious construction issues and failure to meet deadlines, the Minnis administration terminated the contract.

Under the original contract, signed in June 2016, the contractor was to construct a 1,733-ft concrete seawall with piled foundation, five-foot-wide sidewalk, ramp, and steps to the beach. The project also included highway reinstatement and repairs, drainage, and street lighting.

The Minnis administration entered into a new contract with Waugh Construction in August 2017.

Mr Lewis said officials are very happy with the decision they made to replace the initial contractor.

As an extension to the seawall, he noted that the government has agreed to expand the scope of work to include road paving in the entire settlement. Speed bumps are being installed and road stripping works are being finalised, he said.

In West Grand Bahama, Mr Lewis stated that some adjustments are being made at the $6.5-million Fishing Hole causeway to limit environmental damage in the area.

"It is a project that we met underway and we are going to ensure that it is properly completed so that it would not compromise more of the marsh land in Fishing Hole area. We had discussions with the Ministry of Environment to ensure that none of the natural ecosystem is damaged," he said.

All Bahamas Construction (ABC) company was awarded the contract under the former Christie administration in December 2015 to stop years of ongoing flooding caused by tidal surges at Hawksbill Creek, which left Fishing Hole Road impassable. Studies undertaken had recommended that the causeway should be elevated between ten to 12 feet.

Moving further west, Mr Lewis noted that the $25m government complex is still underway, and work is proceeding well with the contractor Top Notch Construction Company.

The MP also said that they expect the new $12m Holmes Rock Junior High School project, which was also signed under the former Christie administration, will be completed by the next school year. The contractors are Brickhouse Construction and RCL Construction.

In terms of road works in the outlying settlements, Mr Lewis said that Minister of Works Desmond Bannister has agreed to seek additional funding for road works in the outlying communities on Grand Bahama.

The minister, he said, recently toured outlying settlements and was able to get an understanding of the "seriousness" of road conditions in those communities.

Road assessments were conducted before last year's budget, however ,he said, due to budget constraints they were only given half the funding that was needed for road repairs in Grand Bahama.

According to Mr Lewis, some roads had not been repaved in communities in the past 40 years.