KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Works wishes to provide an update for the spring tide period of March 27, 2014 to April 3, 2014 for areas that were subjected to overtopping which necessitated emergency intervention by the Sea & River Defence Department.
During this spring tide period, the highest tide was experienced on March 31, 2014 at a height of 3.22 metres; however, the Ministry notes that gusty winds coincided with the high tides along the coast causing an elevation in wave heights and consequential overtopping in some areas.
The Ministry continues to monitor all vulnerable areas and undertakes preventative maintenance and emergency repairs on critical sea and river defences where necessary.
In this regard, the Sea and River Defence Force Account Unit has mobilised to undertake emergency repairs on the river defences at Mosquito Hall, East Coast Demerara, Region No.4 and Hyde Park, East Bank Essequibo, Region No.3. At Mosquito Hall, structural repair works will be carried out to remedy cavities and structural undermining of sections of the existing wave wall which have developed during this spring tide period.
Additionally, the Ministry will be executing upgrading works to the earthen embankment and adjacent façade drains at this location. It should be noted that major reconstruction works have been scheduled for Mosquito Hall/Lancaster under the 2014 Sea Defences Capital Programme. A tenderwas publicly advertised for works at Mosquito Hall and were opened on February, 2014. The Ministry is currently awaiting award of the Contract.
At Hyde Park, a 15 foot breach has developed in the river defences due to erosion of the existing earthen embankment. This has resulted in localised flooding of the area due to water intrusion at high tides. The Sea and River Defence Force Account Unit is currently working at this location to reinstate the breached section of embankment. It should also be noted that reconstruction works have been programmed for this location under the Caribbean Development Bank funded 3rdSea Defences Project.
The Ministry wishes to reiterate that all vulnerable areas along the coast will continue to be monitored and preventative maintenance measures carried out as required. The public should take note that spring tide advisories are published with a list of vulnerable areas during all spring tide periods.
The Ministry will continue to advise the general public on critical developments with regard to the implementation of sea and river defence works in coastal and riverine communities.
TIMEHRI - With work ongoing on the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Budget 2014 has allocated a total of $6.6 billion for works on this project that has the potential to significantly boost the country’s development, especially tourism.
The relocation of the Guyana Defence Force’s engineering division at Timehri is targeted for completion to facilitate construction works on the new airport terminal building.
The US$150M project is funded by the Government of China, through the Chinese Exim Bank. The expansion will cater for a new terminal building with eight boarding bridges, elevators and CCTV. The runway will be extended by 3,500 feet, and there will be eight international parking positions.
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh during the Budget presentation on Monday, March 26, 2014 said that Government’s priority is to meet the growing demand for reliable and efficient airlift and riverain transport services to enable easy, safe and cost effective movement of people and goods.
In 2013, a total of $1.1 billion was expended on the expansion and modernisation of the CJIA.
During the 2013 budget debate, the opposition proposed cuts that exceeded the amount budgeted for the CJIA expansion project. After the flaw was exposed by Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, the opposition then voted against the entire $5.6B allocated to the transport sector, ignoring caution that such actions could hamper critical works like rehabilitation of hinterland and coastal airstrips, the purchase and installation of aviation equipment and the continued modernisation of the Ogle Airport.
Despite the opposition’s stance, the CJIA Expansion and Modernisation Project is progressing smoothly, with work ongoing on the runway. When completed, the runway will be able to facilitate Boeing 747-400 type aircraft.
KINGSTON - Several key roads and bridges projects, all aimed at alleviating much of the current traffic bottlenecks across the country will be undertaken this year under a carefully thought out budgetary allocation. Out of the total $13.7 billion allocation, the sum of $12.9 billion will be spent on roads and $844.2 million on bridges.
“Government recognises that investment in physical infrastructure remains a critical prerequisite to accelerated economic development given the existing infrastructure gaps,” Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said during the Budget presentation on Monday, March 24, 2014.
He alluded to the fact that improved linkages with neighbouring countries, within the country’s own borders, between producers and consumers, across and within communities, all lend themselves to improved competitiveness and connectedness.
According to Minister Singh the four -lane access road to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the East Bank Demerara four-lane highway are slated for completion this year.
Further works will commence on the West Coast Demerara Road and will include pavement rehabilitation, pedestrian and cycle lanes in selected high traffic areas, and street lighting.
The Finance Minister pointed out that provisions have also been made for the widening of the East Coast Highway, and road reconstruction works for the upgrading of Better Hope to Belfield will commence.
Construction of the Parika/Ruby Backdam roads will begin, thus opening up access to over 330 farming households and over 2,000 acres of mixed crop farming.
Minister Singh also announced that engineering designs for the Canal Polder Nos. 1 and 2 roads and feasibility studies and designs for the extension of the highway from Diamond to Timehri will be undertaken.
On the East Bank Berbice, studies and designs will be completed and the complete reconstruction of six- kilometres from Stanleytown to Everton and upgrade of 11.5 kilometres from Belle Vue to Light Town will commence.
Feasibility study for bypass road
Dr. Singh also announced that the Government will complete a financial feasibility study for the construction of a bypass road from Ogle on the East Coast to Eccles on the East Bank which will open new areas for development and investment and create a second route to reduce the congestion for the East Bank Demerara traffic.
This, the Minister said will constitute the first phase in the development of an alternative route to the CJIA thereby linking the countries two international airports and opening up a new development corridor for the East Bank Demerara.
An amount of $7.7 billion is allocated for the improvement of rural, community and hinterland roads and for street lighting from Belle Vue to Patentia on the West Bank, Demerara.
Further, Dr. Singh said negotiations have advanced substantially between the Brazilian and Guyanese technical working groups regarding the preparation of a design study for the construction of the Linden to Lethem road.
The technical assessment for alternative transport options, Dr. Singh said includes the cost benefit analysis of a rail link to ultimately connect with the deep water harbour and container port on the Berbice River. For this particular project, Dr. Singh said the administration has collaborated with the Surinamese Government for the construction of a fixed bridge over the Corentyne River. Further, resources are budgeted to upgrade the road link from Springlands to Moleson Creek and to prepare the bridge terminal facility at the crossing.
Additionally, the feasibility study for the new Demerara Bridge has been completed, and Government has invited expressions of interest for a public-private partnership for its construction and budgeted $338 million for critical works to extend the life of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
In 2013, Government invested $11.3 billion to continue the construction of the East Bank Demerara and East Coast Demerara four lane highways, CJIA access road, rural, community and hinterland roads, additional street lighting, and the rehabilitation of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
PETER’S HALL - Two pivots and A-frame at spans 59 and 60 on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) were replaced over the weekend.
According to its General Manager, Rawlston Adams, preparatory works to execute this operation began three months ago.
He stated that the first exercise was done on the western end of the structure when the bridge collapsed in July 2012. And, in September 2013, the second operation was done on the eastern end. This final replacement exercise will be carried out on the western spans.
Fabrication of the components was done by Courtney Benn Construction Services Limited.
KINGSTON - Residents of communities along the Parika to Vreed-en-Hoop corridor can look forward to improved and reliable access to approximately 30.7 kilometres of roadway from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, as work will soon get underway.
This US$ 34.2M project, whose objective is to increase efficiency and safety of road transportation along the West Coast Demerara road from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, was officially launched on March 20, 2014 at the Pegasus Hotel in the presence of Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, Coordinator, Work Services Group, Geoffrey Vaughn, Division Chief, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Andrew Dupigny and other stakeholders.
This Fourth Road project (West Coast Demerara Road Improvement) that is being implemented with finance from the CDB, has combined six components, each having its own estimated source of funds. The project has an estimated total financing cost of US $46.789M and the total base cost is approximately US$36.301M.
Minister Benn noted that the CDB has long been a dependable development partner to the government and people of Guyana with regards to road transport infrastructure. He said that the collaboration on the fourth road project therefore represents a new phase in this dynamic relationship.
“CDB is indeed a regional development bank which garners the resources regionally and with support from other partners, to push development infrastructure which has massive economic implication for the development of the economies in the Caribbean, and certainly Guyana would be a signal case in point with respect to the impact of infrastructure development on the economy of our country,” he said.
The CDB has been involved in road works on the Linden Highway, done under the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF.) It was also involved with road improvement on the East and West Bank Demerara and in Bartica, Charity, Parika and Supenaam as well with the on-going community road improvement project. The last project funded by CDB within the Ministry of Public Works itself was the Third Road Project, which has been completed and the Profitt/Foulis Sea Defence project.
Government is particularly pleased with CDB’s continued support in the country’s infrastructure, since the Government sees infrastructure advancement as key to Guyana’s development, Minister Benn noted.
He pointed out that the infrastructure development that the government has embarked upon over the years has played a key role in all aspects of the country’s economic development. The infrastructure has assisted in synergising the movement of goods and services and people, “in having a significant multiplying effect on the task we have to do to continue to develop our country,” he said.
Minister Benn also called on his technicians, engineers and administrators to be engaged with the projects to ensure successful achievement. “I am pleased to say overall we have had significant improvements with respect to your engagement with the work…but we still have to do continuous evaluation, continuous improvement, monitoring and assessment,” he said.
In addition to the road works which also include approximately 28.5km of footpaths for pedestrians and 20km of cycle lanes, the installation of traffic signs and road markings; provision of additional street lighting; replacement of Groenveldt bridge and the repair of Uitvlugt bridge, the other components of the projects include road safety awareness which is expected to result in behavioural changes such as the adoption of safe road usage and driving practices, the CDB, Deputy Divisional Chief Dupigny explained.
The activities under this component will include a School Road Safety Education Programme, and Community and Driver Road Safety and Public Relations and Community Education. Except for the school road safety education programme which will be implemented by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Works through the WSG will have the responsibility for implementing all other programmes, Dupigny said.
The other components of the project include improvement of WSG capacity in the areas of planning and management of the primary road network and decision making on expenditure allocations for the road sector, consultancy service for the provision of engineering services for feasibility study and design and road works supervision. There are also the components of services to the project management team and another that looks at monitoring and evaluation.
Maintenance of the road will be a critical component, Dupigny said. He explained that on appraisal, one of the main operational risks that was identified by CDB staff relating to the project was the issue of maintenance. He said that in an attempt to mitigate this risk, the conditions of the loan require that Government ensure adequate preservation of the road infrastructure including the roadside drains and culverts. To this end, Government will be required to submit to CDB annual reports of the condition of the project infrastructure.
Following the launch of the road project, facilitated as well was a workshop with the stakeholders on the project aimed at building and reinforcing relationship among the various stakeholders and fostering a complete and common understanding of the project, and the roles and responsibility of the various parties.
Dupigny explained that this is because CDB is always mindful of the pace of implementation of projects. He said the workshop is one way, in which the bank is attempting to facilitate efficient implementation.
The West Coast Demerara Road improvement project is critical to the development of the West Coast corridor, which has seen the development of some of the largest housing schemes including Tuschen, which has more than 1,000 house lots, many thriving businesses and farming areas.
The project will complement the construction boom in the area, the erection of the New Demerara River Bridge, as well as, the increase in importation of vehicles in the country, and on the WCD.
The project is scheduled to be executed over a period of five years, and tendering is expected to start in July.
KINGSTON - The traffic flow at one of the busiest junctions in the city – Regent and Camp streets, will be modified shortly - a move that will see a faster discharge of traffic and reduce waiting time.
According to Terence O’Brien, head of the Traffic and Highway Lights Department of the Ministry of Public Works, a study was done at the Regent and Camp Streets Junction to understand the dynamics of the traffic movement by the Chief Transport Planning Officer Patrick Thompson. The data from the study, which included traffic counts and left and right turning movements were used in a traffic software that models and simulates junction movements.
The junction analysis revealed that if two right turns and no parking on the eastern side of Camp Street between Robb and Regent were to be restricted, the flow of traffic would be improved significantly and the delays would be reduced by approximately 70 percent (from 94.5 seconds to 31.4 seconds).
The objective is to create a straight to straight continuous flow incorporating a filter lane. This will allow a greater volume of traffic to be discharged while at the same time reducing the cycle time, O’Brien explained.
Against this backdrop, all traffic lights junctions along Camp Street will have to be adjusted and synchronized to keep up with the changes at the Camp and Regent streets junction.
Road signs, both vertical and horizontal will be installed shortly by the Traffic Signs and Maintenance Department to guide motorists into the appropriate lanes, as they approach the junction.
“We are hoping for it to be implemented by March month end,” Mr. O’Brien said.
He also divulged that Traffic Engineers have completed the geometric improvement design for the junction at Lamaha and Albert streets and will embark on a city wide study this year commencing at key junctions, such as Irving and Lamaha streets, Camp and Lamaha, Vlissengen and Sandy Babb, Vlissengen Road and Regent Street.
Meanwhile, the Ministry’s traffic department continues its effort to maintain the 50 traffic lights in and around the city functional, despite the numerous accidents and vandalism. A significant amount of investment was made with the use of protective barriers, heavy duty cabinets locally manufactured and tamper proof locks. Depleted spares are now sourced from other suppliers. Mr. O’Brien noted.
The Traffic Lights were installed by CMS Traffic Systems Limited of India and commissioned in July of 2007. Financing was made possible through a line of credit (LoC) from the Indian Exim Bank of US $2.1M.
KINGSTON - The four persons in the Arau crash, which occurred on March 18, 2014, were transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GHHC) last evening from Ogle International Airport.
They were accompanied by Army medical personnel who had travelled to the crash site to aid in the rescue operation. The Guyanese men are Ivor Williams, Troy Daniels, Leon Bristol and Bernard Singh – the pilot.
It is reported that Williams is seriously injured.
Singh, the owner of several mining camps, crashed around 11:14 am during take-off from Aura airstrip located in Region 7. He was heading to another location in the Region. The three men were his employees.
Luckily, a Guyana Defence Force helicopter was able to locate the crash site almost immediately after private operator Emile Jahan, Hinterland Aviation Inc was flying in the vicinity and was able to pinpoint its location using Global Positioning System (GPS).
Army medical personnel were flown in on a Britten Norman Islander from Ogle to Kaikan to bring out the injured men.
Meanwhile, investigators from the GCAA will remain at the crash site to comb through the wreckage for possible clues.
KINGSTON - The Health Authorities in Saint Lucia has conditionally lifted the quarantine of the Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Registered Cargo Vessel; Lady Zai. It left Guyana on March 9, 2014 for this destination with ten (10) Guyanese crewmembers on board.
During the voyage, one crewmember died, and another became ill and was subsequently hospitalized on the Island, however, he has since been released.
Officials from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) are continuing to work with their colleagues in Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and the owners of the ship, with respect to the welfare of the Guyanese seafarers.
They are also in contact with the local health authorities on this matter.
KINGSTON - A Guyanese has died aboard a St. Vincent and the Grenadines-registered cargo ship and the other eight Guyanese crew members have been quarantined as authorities try to determine the cause of death and illness.
Another sick crew member was taken to a St.Lucian hospital for treatment. No names were released. “The other members of the ship’s crew were ordered to remain on board where their condition is being monitored and until the exact nature of the death and illness have been determined. This is a usual precautionary measure to protect the local population from contracting any possible communicable disease. According to MARAD officals the St. Vincent & the Grenadines registered ship, MV LADY ZAI departed Georgetown, Guyana on Thursday March 6, 2014. On board were ten Guyanese crew members and a consignment of cargo in bulk, with its destination being the island of Saint Lucia. When the vessel arrived in St. Lucia on Sunday March 9, 2014 a crew member had already died and another was ill. However, prior to the ship’s arrival in St Lucia, the port health officials were informed of the situation, thus the vessel was quarantined. According to the Ministry of Health in St Lucia, the deceased was taken off the vessel and an emergency post mortem was done. The other crew member was simultaneously taken to hospital where he is currently being treated. MARAD officials are in contact with their colleagues in St. Lucia on the matter, and similarly the health officials from the two countries.
KINGSTON - The Ministry of Public Works will be installing a total of six geotextile tubes along the Kingston - Kitty sea defences to form a groyne field, an initiative under the 2014 Sea Defences Programme.
This project will contribute to beach stabilisation and the retention of sediment drifting in a westerly direction along the Kingston - Kitty foreshore. The works are currently being undertaken by the Sea and River Defence, Force Account Unit within the Works Services Group (WSG).
Geotextile tubes are used internationally as a cost-effective material alternative for coastal and marine projects.
The tubes are manufactured from geosynthetic based materials which are factory sewn to achieve the desired formation. Installation of the tubes is carried out by filling with sand or suitable dredged material.
For the groynes being installed at Kingston, white sand is being utilised as the fill material.
