REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKS
HONOURABLE MARK VANTERPOOL
AT THE CONTRACT SIGNING FOR HORSE PATH, TORTOLA BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
QUALITY CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016
2:00 P.M.

IMPROVING THE ROAD NETWORK’S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

Greeting,

I have joined the Honourable Premier, Dr. D. Orlando Smith, on several occasions, as we completed negotiations with local contractors, through the Procurement Process, to carry out rehabilitation works to our roads and bridges infrastructure.

We are now on our twelfth (12th) contract signing today and I want to say how very pleased I am with the progress of these projects to date.

As you know, quite a few of our roads and bridges either collapsed, were eroded or suffered other structural damage during Tropical Storm Otto in 2010 and over the years, we have been working hard, as a Government, first to confirm and sign the loan, followed by other activities through the Procurement Process, to ensure that our roads and bridges are properly repaired.

We remain grateful to the Caribbean Development Bank CDB, who, in March 2012, approved a sum of $15,670,000.00 towards these projects.

We are also pleased that we have been able to find the professional and qualified contractors needed to execute these projects, right here in our Virgin Islands.

To date, contracts with a total sum of $9,771,167.76 have been signed, to include Engineering Consultancy, Planning Regulations and Construction Works. 

I remind you that the following projects have been successfully completed so far:

1. Drainage solution and road rehabilitation works in Long Trench,
2. Drainage improvement and road rehabilitation in Fortune Ghut,
3. Reconstruction of road and slope stabilization in Huntum's Ghut,
4. Road and drainage improvement in Palestina,
5. Embankment stabilization and road reinstatement in Ballast Bay,
6. Installation of a retaining wall at Thomas Land in East End, and
7. Drainage improvement in Parham Town.

The contract with FDL Consult Inc, for Engineering Consultancy and Project Management, was renewed for a period of fifteen (15) months, with effect from January 22, 2016 to May 22, 2017, for a sum of $225,000.00.

There are two (2) tender packages currently going through the National Competitive Bidding process, via the standard local procurement procedures:

Hydrology study, and

Harrigan Estate - Slope Stabilization and Road Restoration.

One (1) contract was signed recently:

Lee Road Virgin Gorda - Drainage Solution and Road Rehabilitation. This contract was awarded to Creative Builders for a sum of $1,664,855.50 and signed during the month of September 2016. Mobilization work on Lee Road has already started.

Projects still underway include:

1. Drainage solution and road rehabilitation in Greenland,
2. Slope stabilization and drain construction in Windy Hill, and
3. The construction of retaining walls in Nottingham Estate.

Today's contract signing with Quality Construction, is for Drainage Solution with Road Stabilization and Rehabilitation Works, in the Horse Path/Huntum's Ghut area.

For the sum of $992,822.28, Quality Construction will undertake land clearing, demolition of existing structures, construction of retaining walls, culverts, drains and road pavements, re-sectioning of the Ghut and other associated works in this area.

Quality Construction has successfully completed similar projects for the Government, and we are confident that they will remember the high quality standards that are required by them and bringing this project within budget.

This Government remains committed to improving the structural integrity of the Territory's road network, to ensure the safety of the motoring public.

As Minister for Communications and Works, I express gratitude to my colleagues in Government, especially the Premier and Minister for Finance - Dr. Hon. D. Orlando Smith; my staff at the Ministry of Communications and Works, in particular the CDB Project Team, and also to all of the contractors and teams involved in the successful execution of these CDB Loan-funded projects to date.

We expect to see all of these projects completed very soon, on time and on budget, to the benefit of the residents of and visitors to our beautiful Virgin Islands.

Thank you.