Local contractors save govt $$

Government’s decision to use local contractors for the continuation of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension to Point Fortin has saved taxpayers millions of dollars, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has reported.

As he joined Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Communications Minister Stuart Young to open completed segments of the project which cost $515 million, at Mosquito Creek on Friday, Sinanan said dividing the project into packages resulted in a saving as it boosted competition among local contractors, driving the prices down.

They also turned the sod for another package to complete the widening of 2.5 km of the South Trunk Road between Mosquito Creek Bridge and the Godineau River Bridge.

Explaining how the savings accrued, Sinanan said at the financial evaluation stage for package 2A, Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd (JSCL) and Kall Co Ltd (KCL) submitted tenders that were over the engineer’s estimate. “That is, 7.8 per cent and 22.1 per cent higher than the engineer's estimate respectively,” he said.

JSCL won the award with a revised bid of $95,006,954 VAT inclusive, which was 0.9 per cent lower than the estimate. JSCL also secured package 2B from among six bidders at a cost of $121,820,187.16 VAT inclusive, 1.4 per cent lower than the estimate.

For package 5A, Jusamco Pavers Ltd and Namalco Construction Services Ltd were 4.32 per cent and 2.4 per cent lower than the estimate, while Lutchmeesingh’s Transport Contractors Ltd, Sinohydro Corporation Ltd, and General Earth Movers Ltd’s offers were higher by 8.4 per cent, 15.51 per cent and 19.3 per cent respectively.

After evaluation Jusamco was determined to have offered the most economically advantageous price and was recommended for negotiations, following which a revised final bid of $280,976,489.08 VAT inclusive, some 6.54 per cent lower than the estimate, was submitted.

“This commitment to procurement excellence is a significant component of why this project is moving ahead minus the chaos, litigation, and disappointment. Through these improved measures and intent on achieving the proper balance between cost and quality of deliverables,” Sinanan said.

Drivers and commuters welcomed the opening of the Godineau Bridge to St Mary’s Junction and the widened Dumfries Road to Mosquito Creek, which they said would significantly ease their commute time.

Sinanan said, “We have arrived at a period where modern travel is paramount. This highway is not simply a stretch of road, but a gateway which will create a new pathway to the further development of our people.”

In this vein, the ministry will enforce laws from July to ensure that vehicles are not using roads that cannot take their weight as they have done in the past, he said,

"Drivers that breach these regulations are the culprits of expensive damage to the road network such as cave-ins and pot holes.”

Bays will be set up at designated locations, with the first one to be installed at the now defunct OAS compound, Golconda.

“There, trucks will be pulled off the roads by licensing officers and traffic wardens and weighed on the spot. In the event that a truck is overweight, the driver will be charged and the items on the truck will be impounded in accordance with the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act.”