KINGSTON - All of Executive Jet Club LLC flights have taken place in accordance with the established measures that are applicable in and out of Guyana, and were done with integrity and transparency, Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn told the media today at his Kingston Office.
Minister Benn was at the time responding to speculations with regards to Government’s link to the jet operated by Executive Jet Club that was seized by Puerto Rican officials last month.
Khamraj Lall, a Guyanese pilot and owner of Executive Jet Club was nabbed after it was discovered that US$620,000, was stashed in the Jet he was operating.
In August 2010, Lall expressed interest in developing a hangar to operate an Executive Jet Service and Air Ambulance Service in Guyana, and in December of the following year, the management of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) received an application for land to construct a hangar to facilitate his aircraft operations.
Minister Benn explained that since Guyana did not have such services, Government thought it was a good opportunity, and after a year of review of the application, a Cabinet paper was presented and in October 2012, the lease approval, to allow for the construction of the hangar, which to date is not completed.
“Such procedure required that the flights be processed on the international apron and must be cleared by customs, immigrations and CANU (Customs Anti Narcotics Unit) and other law enforcement agencies to confirm that the standard operations procedure were followed…At no time in terms of the staff of the CJIA or the Civil Aviation Authority or the other security agencies, was any instruction given to the staff to waive the airport procedures with regards to the exec club staff egress or ingress at the airport,” Minister Benn further noted.
Speaking on the legality of the operations, Minister Benn said that the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) can irrevocably confirm that Exec Jet Club LLC is not a club, but rather a limited liability company. The company was never granted a blanket approval to operate in Guyana, rather approval was granted by the GCAA on a per flight basis.
Exec Jet is authorised to conduct on demand, flights for compensation less than 4 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company operates two (2) Westwind 1 Jets under Air Carrier Certificate #R6QA548L, and is authorised to operate in South America among other geographic regions such as Central America and Mexico.
The security has confirmed that checks were carried out at all times with regards to Exec Jet Club’s staff accessing restricted areas at the airport.
The gate, which allows access to the Exec Jet hangar, is not unique to this type of operation. At present, operators such as Laparkan, Amerijet and Rubis (Fuel Company) have their own gates to their facilities: While these agencies can access their facilities, they cannot access the airside or restricted areas of the airport without the approval of airport security. Because the construction is yet to be completed, the keys to the gates of the Exec Jet Club hangar are with the CJIA Security Department.
There was contention that Mr. Lall and the passengers of Exec Jet Club were allowed usage of the VIP lounge at CJIA. Minister Benn said that was never the case, however in the case of passengers, the President and his security staff on duty used the lounge during three trips to Antigua, St Vincent and Brazil. There were 18 flights for the year.
“In all of those cases, it was much more economical and on time when compared to other services. It was better to use their services to have a direct flight to your destination. It was a saving when that service was used by the President…I want to dispel any foolish notion with respect to those flights by His Excellency and to say that Guyanese persons with the means and the money could have gone to Exec Jet Club and access the services in like manner,” Minister Benn reiterated. (GINA)
KINGSTON - More than four years and after in excess of US$30M, the road to the Amaila Falls hydro-project is 93 percent omplete with just minor works left.
Speaking with Kaieteur News last week, Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, disagreeing that the roads seemed to be taking forever, admitted that the multi-billion-dollar project which was marred by hiccups from the beginning, is practically finished.
“The last figures we have seen on activities on the road is that it is 93 per cent completed.” The roads, 85 kilometers of existing ones, and 110 kilometes of new ones, included construction of 15 bridges.
After firing the original contractor, Synergy Holdings, back in January 2012, Government had divided the work into seven sections. It meant that the original US$15.4M tag price went up.
According to the Minister, there are some 28 miles of Section Six remaining and part of Section Three in which the contractors have to complete the laterite surfacing.
“The work by other contractors is basically finished. By the end of December, a large pontoon for the crossing from Section Two, Essequibo River at Butukari, is expected to be completed.”
At Kuribrong River which is below the Amaila Falls site, a decision has been taken to use a barge crossing instead of a bridge. A larger barge will be used to transport the large turbines for the dam will be available when the need arises, Benn said.
The roads are crucial to financial closure for the US$850M-plus project, but construction has been facing one delay after the next, not least the difficult terrain.
In late October, Public Works said that Section Seven which was taken from the local contractors and handed to China Railway First Group (Guyana) Inc, the company that has been slated to build the 840MW Hydro Electric Plant, was complete.
Back then, it was disclosed that Section Three which was contracted to Toolsie Persaud, had a remaining 17 km of roadway left to pave with laterite, while the section contracted out to Ivor Allen Construction Company has an additional 11 km.
The road project was being undertaken in a number of segments, with the Ministry of Public Works assuming responsibility for ‘Section Two.’ That section runs along the Mabura Road to the Essequibo River and has a contract price of $336,094,861.
Section Three was allocated to Toolsie Persaud Quarries Inc. for $373.3M. That section of the Amaila Falls road stretches from Butukari to the Kaburi Village bypass.
The same company has also been awarded a contract for Section Four of the road for $246M. Section Four runs from the Kaburi/Omai junction to the Issano bypass.
Ivor Allen was awarded the $182.3M contract for Section Five of the road that runs from the Issano junction to Craig Road.
Section Six of the road was awarded to G. Bovell Construction Services for $281.7M, but that contract had to be terminated.
It was subsequently granted in two lots, with the first from Issano Junction to Sorrow Hill being allocated to Ivor Allen for $145M. The second lot of Section Six was awarded to Dwarka Nauth for $45M. Hassan N Pasha General Building and Civil Contractor was handed the last and reportedly the most difficult section of the road, ‘Section Seven’ with a contract price of $838M.
That contract was terminated in April 2012 after only 15 per cent of the work was completed. Pasha had received almost $315M.
The contract was subsequently handed to China Railway First Group (Guyana) Inc. for $1.7B (US$8.5M).
Only recently Head of State, Donald Ramotar, announced that government would continue to vigorously pursue the mega project which, if undertaken, would be the largest such project in Guyana.
KINGSTON - Following a recent traffic improvement study, the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Public Works advises that effective December 1, 2014:
· The Vlissengen Road Bridge at Crown Street will be ONE WAY EAST BOUND; and
· The Vlissengen Road Bridge at Lance Gibbs Street will be ONE WAY WEST BOUND.
As a result, south bound traffic on Vlissengen Road that wish to access Queenstown will no longer be able to do so by turning right on the Bridge at Crown Street but rather must do so at the next bridge ie at Lance Gibbs Street.
Likewise, north bound traffic on Irving Street and east bound traffic on Lance Gibbs Street that wish to access Bel Air will no longer be able to do so at the Bridge at Lance Gibbs Street.
These measures will help to reduce congestion, conflicts and delays at the Crown Street and Lance Gibbs Street bridges and provide for safer road traffic operations.
Motorists are asked to be vigilant and look out for the No Entry and No Right Turn Signs.
KINGSTON - It has been reported to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) that on October 18, 2014, at approximately 02:30 hours, an unidentified vessel heading in the general direction of Georgetown collided with the Fishing Vessel "Lady Pinky" off the coast of Guyana in the Pomeroon area.
The "Lady Pinky" was reportedly at anchor in this area when it was struck by another vessel. It subsequently sank, but all four (4) of its crew members used their lifesaving equipment which kept them afloat until they were rescued in the evening by another fishing vessel.
They were subsequently transferred to another vessel which brought them into Port Georgetown on Monday October 20.
Officers from MARAD are trying to locate the unidentified vessel and an investigation has been launched.
TIMEHRI - Police and CJIAC officials are investigating the circumstances which led to the death of an off duty employee.
The employee, Chris Jacob, aged 26 of Hauraruni Village, Linden Soesdyke Highway, was discovered apparently drowned in a water reservoir at the Airport after being involved in a reported assault and a resulting altercation at 2300hrs on the 22nd November in the Works Maintenance area.
Mr. Jacob’s body was discovered at 1330hrs today 23 November after repeated efforts to locate him last evening. He was identified and the body removed under supervision of the Police.
His relatives have been contacted and information is being gathered by the authorities.
KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Works on November 22, 2014 inked a US $46,789,000 contract with several contractors for varying aspects of a major road improvement project, paving the way for a colossal transformation of the West Coast Highway.
Stretching from Vreed-en-Hoop to as far west as Hydronie (approximately 30.7km), the road network’s upgrade will cater for pavement rehabilitation, road widening, separation lanes for cyclists and pedestrians, installation of traffic signs, traffic lights and road markings, replacement of the Groenveldt bridge, relocation of utilities and general repairs.
The money, which was approved in the 2014 Budget, is provided primarily through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana.
The project not only deals with physical road works; in fact the versatility of the contracts awarded allows for money to be spent on educating the general public on road safety awareness. The project consists of six components.
School Road Safety Awareness
This will be carried out by TRL Limited at a cost of £252,107. This component focuses primarily on road safety education in schools and will be implemented over a two-year period. It aims to raise awareness of road safety education, establish it in the school curriculum, and build teachers’ capacity in the subject among others.
Community & Driver Road Safety Education Programme
This is another key component, targeting minibus drivers in particular, and the general public and seeks to deliver a driver’s education course and provide road safety education in the communities served by this road network.
This component will be carried out by GeoTech Vision Guyana Inc., at a cost of US$86,500 over two years, and aims to, among other things, revise the Guyana National Road Safety Council’s course to ensure consistency with best practices, and review the content of the Guyana Police Force’s new drivers’ education course and make recommendations for improvement.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) focuses on developing a comprehensive results-based M&E system for this project. This will facilitate the project’s system becoming transferrable to projects of similar nature to be undertaken. MMM Group is tasked with communicating informative and summative evaluations of this project to the Ministry of Public Works under this component. The contract is valued US$75,875.
Road Works Supervision
In order to ensure work is being executed, Road Works Supervision is catered for. SRKN’gineering, in association with BBFL Caribbean Limited is tasked with managing the day to day operation of this component on behalf of the Ministry of Public Works, and to ensure the tasks are executed in accordance with the contract specifications.
Road Works
A 36- month long Road Works component will be carried out through a collaborative effort between Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Ltd., and BK International Inc. Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Ltd is a Jamaican company, and was only awarded the contract after immense scrutiny by the Ministry of Public Works and the CDB. The company also boasts an ISO 9000 certification for quality. Both parties expressed delight with the association.
PR
There is as well a Public Relations aspect of this massive project; however the contract for this has not yet been awarded.
Following the signing of the contracts today at the Ministry of Public works, Kingston, Leslie Chang, Managing Director of Surrey Paving noted that, “We are very pleased to have formed this joint venture with BK International and it’s an association we’re very optimistic about, and we hope to continue beyond this particular contract.”
Brian Tiwarie, Chief Executive Officer of BK International, echoed Chang’s, commitment to making this joint venture work. “We want to guarantee you that this joint venture will go through.”
Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Ltd brings to the table for Guyana international impetus and outlook, Projects Director, Michael Archer took time to point out.
“Guyana has an economy that, like Jamaica, is striving to extend and improve the development. We see a lot of opportunities here, we bring a significant amount of experience and we are a Caribbean people, a Caribbean company, we have a regional outlook.”
Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Ltd has done similar projects in Trinidad, Antigua, St. Kitts and St. Vincent, and in all instances forged alliances with local contractors.
Road infrastructure improvement
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn pointed out that this project is a major step forward with regards to the development of public infrastructure in Guyana. He noted that the constant improvement of the road infrastructure has been a primary focus of this government.
“The Government of Guyana, during the time of the PPP/C has been constantly working to improve our public road network and infrastructure.” He urged that continued focus be kept on the prime objectives in terms of national development. Minister Benn also expressed his enthusiasm for the alliance between the two contracting companies, “I think the partnership, the facilitation, the synergising of expertise is important for our region and important for Guyana.”
The development of all road infrastructure will assist in Guyana’s products and services becoming export driven, he noted. “We want to have an efficient system which delivers Guyana’s products, Guyana’s exports, Guyana’s economic activities, and these activities can only become more efficient if the transport infrastructure is constantly and continuously improved.”
The objective of this project is to increase efficiency and safety of road transportation along the West Coast Demerara. The Government of Guyana has been constantly working to improve the country’s public road network infrastructure, with the aim to bring it to a level to efficiently facilitate the development of the country.
It is in this line that roads were done in West Coast Berbice, East Berbice stretching to Moleson Creek, and current upgrade projects such as the East Bank Demerara Four Lane Highway expansion, and road fills in preparation for the upgrade of East Coast Demerara road. Under government’s radar immediately are the West Bank Demerara roads.
KINGSTON - Based on an assessment done by engineers following the heavy rainfall, the highest recorded in Georgetown with 186 millimeters, (7.25 inches) of rain in a 24 - hour period, Government will have to invest more resources in drainage infrastructure in the City and along the Coast.
This was told to the media today November 20 by Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn during a press conference, at which Local Government Minister, Norman Whittaker and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, Town Clerk (ag), Carol Sooba and City Engineer, Colvern Venture and Ministry of Works’ Chief Engineer, Walter Willis were present.
Teams of engineers and ministers, prior to the press conference visited several sluices around Georgetown, including Sussex and Princes Streets, Ruimveldt, Riverview, J.P Santos, and Kingston, among other areas.
“We will work with Agriculture (Ministry) to see where we can put in pumps and enhance draining, that is making some embankment cuts…the chute further to the south. The affected areas we will look and see where we can install some pumps,” Minister Benn said during the press conference held at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Kingston.
The heavy rainfall had resulted in extensive flooding in Georgetown, the lower East Bank Demerara and West Demerara, and Essequibo Coast.
Minister Benn explained that the drainage systems located on the Coast are designed to take off 1.5 inches of rainfall in any 24 hour period, hence the reason for the significant flooding.
“We have 5 or 6 percent more than the normal rainfall that can be handled through the drainage infrastructure on the coast …given the difficulty of excessive rainfall, we expect over the next two to three days, there will still be water on the ground…we are not the only affected country, you might know that there is this low pressure system also hanging over Trinidad which resulted in significant flooding in that country,” Minister Benn further noted.
He said that the ministry’s staff have examined the drainage infrastructure in terms of the pumps and kokers and looked at the outfalls, and they will be closely monitoring the drainage over the next few days to enhance reduction of the water. The sea and river defence engineers are also monitoring the situation on the Coast.
Despite the massive clean-up across the city under the “Clean up my country” initiative, targeted areas are still under flood with significant amount of bottles and Styrofoam boxes floating.
Minister Whittaker noted that despite the cleaning persons are still dumping waste in the drains, causing blockage. He charged persons guilty of such act to desist from doing so.
Meanwhile, Minister Edghill pleaded with citizens to ensure that every effort is made to ensure minimum damage at the household level, and urged citizens to take the necessary health precautions to ensure that there is no outbreak of any epidemic.
“We are all in this together…climate change is a reality, these kind of systems will come from time to time and we have to ensure that we have adequate measures in place so I will think that we need to commend both the Ministry of Public Works and Local Government for quick actions, but there is some responsibility that citizens have to take on,” Minister Edghill pointed out. (GINA)
KINGSTON - MV SABANTO, which ran aground November 17 on Wakenaam Island enroute to Supenaam from Parika, is back in water late this afternoon, November 20, 2014.
Marclene Merchant, Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) General Manager
confirmed that the vessel came off on its own power around 16:00 h.
“The tide was high [2.88 meters], so the vessel was able to come off without us having to utilize tugs,” she stated.
Provisions were in place - by the Ministry of Public Works - to remove the vessel by week-end.
According to Ms. Merchant, checks indicate there were no damages to the vessel. In light of this, MV SABANTO will resume its operation under the command of another crew tomorrow morning, November 21 at its scheduled time.
Around 00:35 h on November 17, the vessel ran aground. No injuries were reported and passengers disembarked at first light by water taxis.
The following day, nine of the 10 vehicles aboard the vessel were remove. The other came off today when the vessel docked at Supenaam.
Investigations into the incident are still ongoing.
KINGSTON - The Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) is currently investigating the circumstances which resulted in the MV SABANTO running aground on to Wakenaam Island during the wee hours of Monday, November 17, 2014.
The vessel, along with its sister ship the MV KANAWAN, plies the Supenaam/Parika route.
The mishap reportedly occurred at around 00:35 h as the vessel was enroute to Supenaam with passengers and crew. No injuries were reported.
Passengers disembarked at firstlight by water taxis which responded to the vessel’s distress.
Assessments by mariners, marine surveyors and engineers are currently underway to initially determine damage to the vessel and the best method of safely taking it off.
In the meantime, efforts will be made to take off - by dumb barge - the three trucks and seven cars still onboard.
Favourable tides which will help a refloating operation by means of tugs are anticipated at the upcoming week-end.
Traffic movement will be maintained at normal levels by a doubling up of the runs of the MV KANAWAN and MV MALALI.
The T&HD sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to commuters.
KINGSTON - The transformation of the country’s aviation sector as it relates to female involvement came in for high praise from Lucille Dawsey, the first female private pilot to fly in Guyana’s airspace.
The 72 year-old was honoured by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) today, November 13, 2014 at the Silhoutte Restaurant.
“I am very, very impressed to see other women more active in the local aviation sector. I have only been here for a short time and what I saw at Ogle and Timehri is very unbelievable in terms of human and physical developments,” Ms. Dawsey said, shortly after receiving a plaque from Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn.
Ms. Dawsey, who arrived on November 12 with one of her sons, Stanislaus, and grandson, was pleasantly surprised with the warm welcome she received.
“I did not expect all of this,” she admitted. “I just expected somebody to come and say hi.”
Hon. Benn is his remarks said that it was an exhilarating experience to meet the mother of five, adding “we have to remind ourselves, to engage and to learn from her experiences as a pilot in Guyana.”
He noted that during the early 21st Century it was a pioneering event for a woman to be licensed as a pilot, and pointed to the evolution of the previously male dominated field.
“We must know that we not only stand on the shoulders of men but on the shoulders of strong, brave women. We need to be reminded of how far we have come in our country. Our aviation sector is boundless,” Minister Benn stated.
Meanwhile, Chairman of GCAA Board, Hugh Denbow acknowledged that GCAA has always paid tribute to the sector’s trailblazers.
“We get strength from those who have done a good job. We are still in the primary mode of developing interior locations and you who have been before us give us strength go on,” he said.
Paula McAdam, GCAA’s Chief Accident Investigator, chaired the ceremony. Ankar Dubay, acting Director General; Astel Paul, a Director on the Board; Courtney Frank and Dorris Sammy were among the GCAA’s officials present at the ceremony.
A tower of strength
After receiving her pilot license in 1961, Ms. Dawsey fondly called ‘Lucy’ flew several Cessna airplanes [180, 206 and 172] in the hinterland where she and her first husband George Golas were into the precious minerals operation.
Unfortunately, several personal tragedies prompted Ms. Dawsey to migrate to Trinidad in 1974. She returned briefly in 1979.
Her son Stanislaus revealed that his mother, despite the challenges she faced, “kept her strength that I have not seen in anybody else I have come across.”
Ms. Dawsey’s vitality for life is another quality he admired and thanked the Minister and guests for honoring his mother. Furthermore, her niece Susan recalled that “she always had the family with her” and wished her long heath and strength.
Nowadays, Ms. Dawsey travels extensively especially to Costa Rica, the US and Canada where her children reside.
