Repair work to damaged seawalls throughout New Providence could cost more than the $1.3 million already allocated for the first phase of restoration, according to Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts.
Two local construction companies were awarded the contracts to repair walls along New Providence’s coast that were damaged during hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004.
“[Cost] is one thing in engineering that is not precise,” Minister Roberts said at a press conference at this J. F. K. Drive office. “They can only estimate, so depending on what they find when they go on the actual site [that] will determine whether the contact will be higher or-lower.”
He said the low bidder on the work for the western portion of the island was G&L Construction, owned by Bahamians Leo Knowles and George Cartwright.
They bid just under $725,000, according to the minister, who added that Knowles Construction and Development Company, owned by Emile Knowles, won the contract for seawall repairs along the eastern foreshore with a bid coming in at $585,500.
The purpose of a seawall defense is to prevent the natural erosion of a shoreline and infrastructure by a body of water.
Minister Roberts said the restorative work is expected to begin soon on 20 separate sites along the eastern and western coastline of the island.
Extensive work is to be carried out on damaged seawalls along the shoreline of Gambier to Yamacraw. Damaged sidewalks on Arawak Cay will also be replaced and repaired when necessary.
Minister Roberts said the scope of the work along New Providence’s coastline includes the casting in place of 7,000 feet of seawall, the paving of some 1,850 cubic yards of concrete and the installation of 1,200 feet of guardrails.
The minister also pointed out that under the loan programme from the Inter-American Development Bank, a foreign consultant company is usually brought in to assess damage.
However, he said local engineers will carry out this aspect of the work.
“Following hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, the government insisted and was able to convince IDB that Bahamian consultant engineers were equally capable of carrying out damage assessment, preparing the design drawings, as well as supervising the repairs to the seawalls,” Minister Roberts said.
“I have every confidence that our Bahamian consultant engineers will prove worthy of the task that the government has entrusted to their capable care.”
Minister Roberts also announced that George Cox Engineering Consultants has completed the design drawing for the New Providence seawalls and consequently has been appointed at a cost of $64,120.
He said that contracts for seawall repairs in Cat Island and Eleuthera are expected to be executed by the middle of March.
By: Royanne Forbes-Darville, The Bahama Journal
