NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Public Works and Transport the Hon. Neko Grant said, on August 30, 2010, that the four contracts signed that day for the maintenance of hundreds of storm drainage wells is just another example of the Ministry taking action to ensure continuity of its maintenance schedule for New Providence.
“The contracts provide for maintenance, by cleaning and blowing with compressed air, of a combined total of 861 well chambers, twice during the duration of the contract, at a total cost of $172,000,” Minister Grant said at a press conference at the Ministry.
“The GIS (Geographic Information Systems) of all draining wells has been completed,” Minister Grant added.
“This provides GPS co-ordinates of each catch pit to facilitate their location by maintenance crews on contract and any other relevant agencies when necessary.
“These locations have been further grouped into zones.”
Bahamas Industrial Maintenance, Bowe’s Plumbing and Pumping Services, Clean Drains & Maintenance, Ltd., and Janitorial and General Maintenance Co. received the contracts for the next 12 months.
Minister Grant said that in light of the hurricane and tropical storm activity within the Caribbean region gaining momentum, his Ministry is cognisant of the significant risk of flooding created by such storms.
“In this regard, the impact of excessive rainfall has been most evident in low-lying areas of New Providence where efforts have been made the past year to maintain drainage wells and catch pits, clear screen baskets and inlet grates outside of the normal routine and re-drill 80 drainage wells identified from the previous maintenance contract,” he said.
Minister Grant congratulated the contractors on the award of the contracts by saying: “We in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport expect that the maintenance of these wells will mitigate incidences of flooding, which has been an on-going concern in certain New Providence communities, and we also expect that the contractors will adhere to the agreed schedule of maintenance.”
Eric Rose
Bahamas Information Services
