Sinanan: Contractor bearing cost to repair Grande road

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the contractor on road paving works in Sangre Grande will foot the bill to repair the deteriorated works.

He was responding to a question in the Senate Wednesday from Taharqa Obika who asked, given the deterioration of road paving works done before December 2, 2019, whether there are clauses in paving contracts that provide a defect liability period and whether ministry intended to trigger this clause.

Sinanan said the contract document provided for a defect liability period of 18 months and made other provisions to safeguard the integrity of the project in the form of a performance bond. He said, in accordance with the contract, remedial work had begun and was ongoing.

"The Ministry of Works of Transport will in this case, and all cases, seek to ensure that the required quality and standards are achieved."

Opposition Senator Saddam Hosein asked the name for the contractor on the project. Sinanan said he preferred not to call contractors names but reported that a tendering process was done by the National Insurance Property Development Company Ltd (Nipdec) and close to eight contractors were engaged. He reported the piece in question was done by one of the more reputable contractors and the issue was a challenge with the mix.

Hosein asked if there would be any cost to the State for the works and Sinanan replied because of the defect liability period the contractor will have to do the repairs at their cost. He reported that from 2015 to the present the measure had been utilised by Government.

Hosein also asked how long the remedial works would take. Sinanan said the job started a couple days prior and he was hoping it would be completed by the weekend.