North Andros Local contractors have threatened to block the construction of a 36-mile stretch of main road in North Andros if it is undertaken by a New Providence firm.
Claiming that they have been overlooked, the contractors yesterday affirmed that the necessary equipment and expertise for the job is present on the island.
The contract, which is reportedly worth $6 million, seems to be the subject of some confusion – as Andros sources insist that it has been awarded to New Providence contractor Junior Bethel, but Minister of Works Bradley Roberts said the job has not even gone to tender yet.
When The Tribune spoke with Mr Bethel about the matter yesterday afternoon, he said the Androsians “know more than I do” about the status of the contract.
Asked to respond to the claim that local firms should be – awarded the contract, Mr Bethel said: “They can’t handle it.”
He claimed that another ministry awarded a contract to a local firm on Andros several weeks ago, but the project has yet to get started.
“You want what will work for your money,” Mr Bethel said. ﾠThe contractors say this is not the first contract that has caused them frustration.
Last month, they reportedly blocked the tractors of New Providence contractor Bill Simmons, who was awarded the job of creating a road for a community development near San Andros.
The confrontation reportedly escalated to the point where the contractors threatened to set some of the heavy-duty equipment that had been shipped to Andros on fire.
Only after a protracted standoff was the contract reconsidered and tendered to locals – who argued that they already ﾠhad the necessary equipment and expertise on the island to do the work.
While some contractors admit that they are overloaded with work at the moment, a general sense emerges when talking to locals – especially in North Andros – that Androsians think they are being left behind when it comes to large-scale development.
By: Paul Turnquest
A Tribune Exclusive Report
