REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKS
HONOURABLE MARK VANTERPOOL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK LOAN FUNDED PROJECTS
WINDY HILL SLOPE STABILISATION AND DRAIN CONSTRUCTION
CONTRACT SIGNING

Greetings,

I have joined the Honourable Premier, Dr. D. Orlando Smith, on several occasions, as we completed negotiations with local contractors, to carry out rehabilitation works to our roads and bridges infrastructure.

I am pleased to say that we have made great progress with these rehabilitation works and the Government is eager to complete the remaining projects.

To date, contracts have been signed in the amount of $13, 034, 916.96. This gives a balance of $2,144,054.75.

Nine (9)projects have already been completed.These include:

1. Drainage solution and road rehabilitation works in Long Trench,
2. Drainage improvement and road rehabilitation in Fortune Ghut,
3. Reconstruction of road and slope stabilization in Huntum's Ghut,
4. Road and drainage improvement in Palestina,
5. Embankment stabilization and road reinstatement in Ballast Bay,
6. Installation of a retaining wall at Thomas Land,
7. Drainage improvement in Parham Town,
8. Drainage solution and road stabilization in Greenland, and
9. Construction of retaining walls and road rehabilitation in Nottingham Estate.

There are two (2)  contracts for infrastructure works currently ongoing, which include:

1. Lee Road, Virgin Gorda- Drainage Solution and Road Rehabilitation which is 90% complete per contract, however, the project has been put on hold until some land issues are resolved; and
2. Horse Path- Reconstruction of Road, Slope Stabilisation and Drain Construction at Upper and Lower Horsepath has been completed according to contract but additional works to the lower end is ongoing and is expected to be completed by November of 2018.

Initially, this contract was awarded to G-Unit Construction, however, was terminated in April 2017, due to several breaches and based on this, the Government decided to invoke Clause 56 of the General Conditions of Contract (GCC).

In July 2017, the territory experienced a considerable amount of rainfall which caused many significant landslides and undermining of the upper and lower roadways. The project was at that time revisited by the Engineering Consultants FDL Consult Inc.  As a result, the scope of works was significantly altered, by upgrading the drainage structures, the roadway and retaining walls.

This project was retendered and has now been awarded to Autland Heavy Equipment Co Limited in the amount of $1,741,000.91.

The Works consist of:

• General clearance of land along the route of the permanent works;
• Disposal of unsuitable site arisings;
• Demolition of an existing reinforced concrete road pavement;
• Construction of four (4) reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls;
• Construction of a reinforced concrete box drain along the upper and lower Windy Hill roads;
• Construction of a reinforced concrete cascading box drain between the upper and lower Windy Hill roads;
• Installation of a reinforced concrete culvert along upper Windy Hill road; and
• Reconstruction of demolished section of road pavement.

Autland Heavy Equipment has successfully completed similar projects for the Government, and we are confident that they will remember the high quality standards that are required.

As Minister for Communications and Works, I express gratitude to my colleagues in Government, especially the Minister for Finance - Premier Smith; my staff at the Ministry of Communications and Works, in particular the CDB Project Team, and also to all of the contractors and teams involved in the successful execution of these CDB Loan-funded projects to date.

We expect to see all of these projects completed very soon, to the benefit of the residents of and visitors to our beautiful Virgin Islands.

Thank you.