In his final address as PLP Chairman, Utilities and Public Works Minister Bradley Roberts announced that the capital’s Harold Road would be transformed into a four-lane highway, meeting international standards.
“The dualling of Harold Road — with full reconstruction of the existing carriage-way — from Baillou Hill Road to the Sir Milo Butler Highway, will be tendered and then constructed by Bahamians to the full international standards used for the design and specification of the main New Providence Road Improvement Project,” said the Minister, at Tuesday night’s 47th annual Progressive Liberal Party Convention.
He then turned his attention to the Ministry’s $52 million “terminated” contract with Associated Asphalt, the construction company who signed an agreement to build several roads throughout the capital. One project was completed under the agreement — the new Gladstone Road and traffic light — before work came to a halt in July 2002. At this point, only 20 percent of the agreed work was done.
The Ministry has since terminated that contract and enforced the Advanced Payment Bond by demanding from the guarantor Bank an immediate repayment of the U.S. $7.5M paid to Associated Asphalt at the start of the job.
“I have also now authorized additional payments to Associated Asphalt’s creditors from the $2,086,000 withheld from AA at the time of their collapse, in order to bring much-needed relief to all those who supplied materials, services and their labour to the project.”
In order to restart those projects next Spring, the Ministry has advertised in local and international media houses, inviting interested contractors to apply for inclusion on the new tender short-listing.
“In particular, the qualification documents strongly emphasized the wish of this Government to maximize Bahamian participation this time around,” added Mr. Roberts. “The whole re-tendering and award process is being expedited so that the successful bidder will be appointed by April 2003.”
This, he said, will allow the new contractor to be mobilized in time for the critical Prince Charles Drive improvements, with completion slated for next Summer.
Additionally, Minister Roberts promised that long-awaited relief from cracked, ragged roads in the Family Islands will be addressed shortly.
In a recent visit to South Andros, The Guardian noticed those ragged roads while traveling along the outskirts of the island.
The narrow, dangerous curves were accented with a few skit marks. Many of the residents complained that if it were not for the occasional streetlights, more traffic fatalities could have reported.
One resident said: “These roads really bad, but they’ve always been this way. They gave us these roads a long time ago. It’s definitely time to get some sensible ones though.”
“The long over due South Andros roads repair programme will shortly commence and the savings achieved could be utilized to correct the silting of the bay,” said Minister Roberts.
In response to Family Islanders pleas, the Utilities and Public Works Ministry has also proposed to launch several other roadwork projects, including those in Bimini, Acklins, Crooked Island and Grand Bahama.
As with North and South Bimini, Minister Roberts indicted that road works has already begun, costing the government some $842,000. Additional work will be carried out to the cemetery road at Bailey Town.
“Repairs will be carried out early next year to the roads in the Salina Point Acklins area. In Crooked Island a contract will be advertised shortly for the construction of a new mail boat dock to serve the area,” Mr. Roberts said, adding that those projects will cost $1.2 million.
He also said that bids for the work at the Fishing Hole Road, West Grand Bahama were closed two weeks ago and are presently being evaluated by the Ministry’s technical staff.
“Following the evaluation of tenders, a small 18-foot span bridge with raise approaches at either end will be constructed to address the flooding problems experienced, especially during the winter months,” added Mr. Roberts.
Improvements to West Grand Bahama’s settlement roads, he said, are currently in progress and completion is slated for next year. A contract will shortly be drawn to address the flooding problem in West End.
As with Sandy Point, Marsh Harbour, the Minister announced the completion to the Sandy Point road and seawall and that a contract award will be announced soon.
In addition, repairs to a number of small side roads in Dundas and Murphy Towns and Marsh Harbour are also nearing completion.
Mr. Roberts said: “This project brings relief to thousands of residents who suffered with poor roads for years.”
Overall, Mr. Roberts said, the new projects will span 21 months, setting the completion date for all the remaining road projects to Dec. 2004.
By Khashan Poitier, The Nassau Guardian
