Opposition clarifies the PM’s misleading statement on Dam Rehabilitation.
18 April 2022
The Prime Minister’s reckless and inaccurate statements in respect to the desilting works and
acquisition of a soil dryer for the John Compton Rehabilitation Project (JCD) requires our
response.
As mandated, the project was designed to do the following:
Phase 1 – To construct a sediment disposal area (SDA) to hold silt extracted from the JCD.
Phase 2 – To undertake an initial desilting program to commence removing the accumulated
volume of silt ( Above 1.5 million cubic meters) and over the long term to continue to provide
maintenance and operational dredging estimated to be completed within 8-10 years. The initial phase of the desilting Program was to clear the silt around the second lower abstraction port and other additional works.
The original project was redesigned in phases. Phase 1 to build the SDA was tendered amongst local contractors. The lowest successful bidder (Mega Contracting Inc.) was selected and successfully completed the SDA. Because of the location of the site and continuous wet soil conditions plus prevailing rainy weather conditions several challenges were encountered. A soil dryer was eventually purchased in collaboration with WASCO’s regulator the NURC (National Utilities Regulatory Commission) that was kept informed of all developments.
Phase 2 of the desilting works was also tendered and Vinci Construction Maritime Et Fluvial was the lower successful bidder that eventually cleared the lower abstraction port to access
additional water supplies from the JCD. A no objection certificate was submitted by the
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to proceed and complete this desilting phase.
Soil Dryer - As mentioned above a soil dryer was purchased from a licensed manufacturer /
vendor. It is a well-established firm HTL Technologies LLC in Kentucky USA and is located at 81 Jefferies Ln Hustonville, KY 4039. Telephone Number +16063469465 and email
codyrhensley@gmail.com. WASCO has all documented information on this company as well as exchange of emails to and from the company that have agreed to send a technician to repair this specialized equipment.
The soil dryer commenced working on the site for approximately 2-3 months and assisted the
contractor/ WASCO in drying the soil within the SDA. Unfortunately, a part became defective
whilst on warranty and arrangements were made to repair the same by the vendors technicians as previously noted.
For the Prime Minister to say that the soil dryer never functioned, could not have been repaired and reportedly the vendor could not be located for recovery or recourse is patently false and intended to unjustly impute improper motives on the reputation of the WASCO Board, staff and the vendor.