Projects going slower than liked; CDB wants engineering properly done
BVI News Staff - Thursday, March 7th, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Works Minister Mark Vanterpool. *File photo. Credit: Andre ‘Shadow’ Dawson
Works Minister Mark Vanterpool said projects being undertaken under a loan programme with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) are going slower than is liked, particularly due to certain stipulations outlined by the financial institution.
Vanterpool made specific reference to the bank’s request for it to have an engineer on the projects to ensure they are properly undertaken.
In order to fulfill the CDB’s criteria, the minister said projects being funded with the $15.7M loan have slowed.
He however gave the assurance during a recent Carrot Bay meeting that the projects will pick up speed very soon.
“We are doing some other infrastructural things through the CDB loan of $15M. That’s going a little slower than we like because we have to follow some rules that CDB has instituted.
“We just recently selected one of the parts of that that will get it moving, which is an engineer that CDB wants to be on the project to ensure that the engineering is dong in the right way. So, that project should get off the ground a little more swiftly soon, as soon as we have that group in place. We started a little of it over in Jost Von Dyke over the road there that was damaged badly in 2010, and that should be finished fairly soon as we went to visit it couple of weeks,” the minister further said.
The Infrastructure Rehabilitation Loan Project is a joint venture between the BVI and the CDB to improve the territory’s infrastructure that was damaged as a result of the impact of sub-tropical storm Otto in 2010.
In December Last year, the government announced that it had trained some 50 local contractors so they could be in a better position to bid for projects under the arrangement.
Speaking in relation to the training, Vanterpool, at the time, said he wants the money that was borrowed as part of the loan project to be spent locally so everyone can benefit.
It was the former Virgin Islands Party government that had applied for the CDB loan through the United Kingdom, but it was not approved until last year after the National Democratic Party assumed office.
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16 Comments
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Mark you are looking good man…nice smile!
CDB just wants to make sure that the work gets done CORRECTLY not the hurry up, shoddy work, screw to government, walk away with outragous check, payoff politician BVI way of doing business.
Having an Engineer is something that would be expected to make sure the job is done well.
Repair/reconstruction of the damage infrastructure is taking way too long. The damages occured in 2010 but we are in March of 2013 yet little to any work has been put in place. The biggest hurdle to getting the work mobilized should have been the funding. And the funding was acquired months ago yet we are slow out of the blocks.
Road construction is an ongoing process and design standards, plans and specifications should be readily available for rolling out contracts. However, the fact that CDB is holding up the mobilization of the projects should indicate to us that our project design and construction practices are not up to par.
Projects are designed based on government standards; the intent of these minimum design standards is to promote and protect public health and safety. A properly designed project that is poorly constructed fails to protect the public. And to ensure that projects are constructed as designed, it is customary to retain a project/construction engineer to provide oversight of construction projects. In addition to providing project quality control and assurance, a project engineer typically coordinates change orders (design changes), validates contractor invoices……..etc.
What the CDB is demanding is customary in the construction industry. As such, the demands are low hurdles that should have been easily cleared. Morever, the CDB through their demands are providing a valuable service to BVI taxpayers. The CDB satisfied that the means was available to pay back the loan could have just disburse the funds. Instead, it is taking action to ensure that the BVI gets value for money. They are exercising exemplary social and cooperate responsibility.
The poor condition of our roads is exacting a high cost on citizens and residents. They are adversely affecting their quality of life, increasing their transportation cost………..etc. Further, the poor conditions are reflecting poorly on the BVI image; we are being placed on third world country heap. We can do better. Better can we do.
A man who hardly used to show up for legco..he’s full of tricks
All projects, not just CDB-funded projects, should be designed, constructed and inspected consistent with standard engineering and construction practices. Short circuting any of these process will result in projects not meeting their design intent.
Poorly designed, constructed or inspected projects shorten lifecycles, increase construction cost, contribute to premature structural failures, lessens reliability, increase need for change orders, increase possibility for safety and health mishaps…….etc.
Additionally, proper project design, construction and inspection leverage/optimize the shortage of capital dollars. They also creates confidence in and builds integrity in the capital improvement program projects. It is a good business practice to proceed deliberately and perform the job right the first time. Project rework lengthens project construction time, defers making the project complete and usable and increases cost.
Alot of nothing
Thats just to show you that they dont like to do things properly here in the BVI
hear who talking hahaa.
try hurry up fix these roads especially from meyers to great mountain. I going garage too much for wheel joints issues man. Stabilizar bar, arm and other bolts that breaks from these warp up roads
No kidding, I need new ball joints AGAIN
them ndp’s and their cronys wont be able to theif this money
why vip and fraser couldnt access it? lol..talking bout thief?
Being an engineer, it comes as no surprise to me that the government would complain about the “rules” of the development bank, requiring an engineer to ensure that things are done properly.
They would rather rush through, slap things up in a hurry and then pat themselves on the back for a job completed in no time at all.
The fact that whatever the project, it would likely have to be redone in a couple of years because it wasn’t done properly is of no consequence.
Jeesh man. Slow down. Measure twice and cut once!
I don’t think he’s complaining, he’s explaining. Trust me, the politicians well glad about the CDB rules that way they won’t have a set of wanna be contractors buzzing in their ears about work. CDB demands that it be done in a certain way and it must happen. Major contractors will get the work and can subcontract the smaller ones so it can spread around. This is just my opinion though, I see it more as notification than complaining. It’s in Government favor for CDB to act this way as 1. the money will stretch, 2. you can go back to CDB for more funds later down as you followed the rules, 3. the problems will be fixed and fixed properly and 4. no party supporters buzzing in your ears for piece of this or that when not qualified.
Lord Help us
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