Minister for Public Works and Ports Senator Miriam Blanchard said an over $1.6 million road rehabilitation project contract signed with three local firms will help in the improvement of a more robust and resilient network of roads and bridges.
The works will be done on the eastern coast of the island and will include key interventions along the Bois Diable to Castle Bruce route as well as in the Castle Bruce to Petite Soufriere area.
The contract signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Health conference room Wednesday with Aida Trucking limited, George Trucking and Excavation Services and Jars Sales & Services Ltd.
Blanchard said that interventions will form part of the disaster vulnerability reduction project, a collaborative effort between the government of Dominica and the World Bank.
“These works will include the construction of retaining walls, as well as the construction of culverts and drains,” she said while addressing the ceremony. “It also includes the erection of guardrails on existing bridges in the area to improve the safety of pedestrians and road users; as well as the dredging of the river near the Castle Bruce Secondary School.”
She pointed out that it is important to note that while the project is loan-financed, the terms are concessional.
“We have this loan under concessional terms and not commercial terms and I think this is important to note at the implications of this are obvious,” Blanchard explained.
She noted that her ministry looks forward to working with the officials of the World Bank to implement the project, which is consistent with the objective of the government to build a more robust and resilient network of roads and bridges.
“This ceremony I see is further proof of this government’s commitment to improve our road network across the island to ensure the safety of all road users,” she remarked.
Meantime, Parliamentary Representative for the Castle Bruce Constituency Johnson Drigo said the works will be done in lots.
“Lot One: Pont Casse to roundabout to Bois Diable junction. Lot Two: Bois Diable junction to Castle Bruce and Lot Three: Castle Bruce to Petite Soufriere …” he explained.
He said the Castle Bruce to Petite Soufriere intervention is important to the community, “because this is a dangerous area.”
I am no Accountant, but $1.6-million dollars for all that work. Why aren’t these contracts printed, so the tax payers could read the details for themselves. Half of that money will end up in somebody’s pocket. The other quarter will be spent on rum, wine and dine and maybe personal updates to the contractor’s home. If we’re lucky, one quarter will be spent on the actual project and then we will hear cries of money running out as usual.
Why have ‘they’ not tackled the remaining sections of roads leading to Shawford/Trafalgar? A route used by tourists travelling to see the sights
Mr.Drigo you are not just good but, very good and a great asset for the DLP. IT’S UP TO CONTRACTORS where they start and end. A group here ,another there and so on. Three cheers to Mr.Drigo.
As a Portsmouth native I know for sure that “George Trucking and Excavation Services” is supposed to be owned by George Nanthan. I also know for a fact that George is the older brother of Emmanuel Nanthan (Mano), who is director of the CBI program. What I DO NOT know is:1. If Mano has shares or interests in the above company 2. If Prime Minister Skerrit also has shares in the above company. A lot of Portsmouth people are asking me but I don’t know. Would be good if DNO could help us answer these questions so all readers could know.
Very often a number of persons have stated in the media, print and or electronic that the Government in transacting the Nation business is not transparent. You have reported the awarding of three contracts totaling in the amounts of $1.6 millions for works to be undertaken in three location. The minister mentioned that the funds for these project are loans. If you are reporting the news for information to the public, you should have indicated the amount for each of the three lots and the entity which was awarded the contracts. You are a service in providing electronic news to the public have a responsibly to all the important information. I should add, all this id public information. DNO, I hope you got the message.
Hang on here,what about the £20 million pound grant from the UK for the reconstruction of the east coast road?.
I think you may be confusing that with the rehabilitation of the road from Loubiere to Grand Bay, all the way up to Bagatelle? The Brits certainly would not leave that to the likes of George Nanthan, believet me.
You seriously asking about the money. Eben look story.
So why not tackle the dangerous area first? I would think that the safety of the residents of the area should be of paramount importance. Are we going to wait for someone to get injured or suffer a fatality before giving this dangerous area priority?
Are you a construction engineer? Are you managing the funds? Do you know how much each portion will cost and what the availability of the funds are? Do you have this opinion based on the amount of people traveling a particular road? If no to any of these questions then its not your job to tell people how to do their job.
News flash! Citizens in particular and tax payers in a democracy have the right to ask questions. That’s the problem with Dominica and Dominicans in general. There are some of us who believe that only the learned amongst us are qualified to ask questions and make suggestions and where has that left us? Behind God’s back. What about the brilliant engineering at Douglas Charles Airport? How about night landing when US registered aircraft will never approach that piece of trash in Mel Ville Hall at night and I can go on and on. So people who are affected by poor infrastructure or lack there off in their communities should sit idly by and say nothing, because they are not construction engineers, quantity surveyors, draftsmen, masons and plumbers.
Shame on you.
It’s the same mind set that allowed countless essential public buildings in Dominica like the Marigot Hospital, the Portsmouth Police station, the Mahaut Police Station and so on to fall apart. Engineers and contractors designed and built these facilities, but you lacked a regular plumber, painter, electrician and mason for routine maintenance. After years of neglect, they all fell down. Based on your logic and thinking, only an engineer should be involved in these types of decisions. A plumber is too low on the toting pole to say or do anything.
Is that EC$ 1.6 million? If so it is a cheap project.
From Pond case to Petite Soufriere – 1.6 million dollars? That is cheap. Castle bruce to Petite Soufriere alone can easily eat up 10 million dollars if a proper work have to be done. What is the scope of the works anyway. Looks like its only parching the potholes.
Using parchment for potholes would be very expensive. Using ordinary paper would be far less costly and just as (in)effective. I do believe you meant to say “patching” perhaps?
Do these contractors have good insurance to operate? Knowing how careless they are should someone a pediatrician get hurt on their project or should a car fall in one of their insecure projects, who will pay; the government or contractor?
“…Knowing how careless they are should someone a pediatrician get hurt …”
You mean pedestrian right?
“…should a car fall in one of their insecure projects…”
You meant unsecured…
Our command of the English language is atrocious and downright embarrassing. Is this what we teach our children in school?
What about the Castle Bruce to Portsmouth? You would think they would want to improve the road next to the main airport. And from the airport to the second town but they’re always more concern about Roseau and the surrounding area. Which is fine, but spread the love to the rest of the Island.
what you talking about… roundabout to Marigot airport is a brand new road.
The roads next to the main airport are in good condition.