Regional Council seeks answers from REO after collapse of Silvertown drains, waiving of tender process
The Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is seeking answers from Regional Executive Officer (REO) Dwight John over the collapse of the drains at Silvertown, in Linden, and the continued award of contracts to the contractor, who the region flagged due to the poor quality of work on projects.
Daniel Sugrim, of D&R Construction and Machinery Rental, was awarded the contract via waiver of Tender Board procedures, which the RDC has also questioned.
The council has said during a visit in May, the Regional Engineer raised serious concerns over the quality of works that was being delivered in Silvertown, where a street was being paved and the contractor was tasked with building 600 meters of retaining wall to support the road works.
According to the Regional Chairman Deron Adams, during his visit residents complained of the shoddy works being done on the shoulders of the road. He said residents pointed out that the width of the road was reduced and the drains that were being constructed were too narrow.
“The Regional Democratic Council would like to receive in writing your justification for the continued award of contracts when the (shortcomings) of this contractor is apparent and steps have not yet been taken to address these shortcomings,” Adams wrote in a letter to John on behalf of the council, while also questioning why the Tender Board continues to waive tender procedures to make awards to the contractor and others who have been flagged similarly.
He asked for a response before Thursday’s statutory meeting of the council (December 2nd). There has been no response.
Adams, in his letter, pointed out that at another project site, the said contractor delivered substandard work and it was not corrected. At Third Alley, Wismar, the contractor constructed drains above the level of surrounding properties, defying the purpose of the drains in the area. After this contract came to a halt because of the objections raised by residents, Adams said that Sugrim was then awarded a contract to construct the Silvertown drains which have now collapsed.
The contractor has also been awarded a third contract for the extension of the DeVeldt Primary School, to the tune of $11 million.
The Council said that it had in months past written to John, who is the Head of the Regional Tender Board, and copied the Ministry of Finance and the National Procurement and Tender Administration querying why waivers to Tender Board procedures were being applied to a significant portion of the RDC’s contracts. This, the RDC said, effectively allowed contractors to be handpicked, denying others the chance to bid for contracts. No response has been forthcoming to date, the RDC said.
In the letter to John, Adams also reminded the REO that with exception of emergency circumstances, the council has to approve the waiver of procurement procedures.
Adams further questioned why measures were not taken to address the shortcomings of projects even after concerns would have been registered and why procedures in the tendering process are continuously being waived.
The Department of Public Information on Thursday reported that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development had taken note of the inferior works and it stated that the contractor
has returned to the area and was executing corrective works on the road.