Final contract for Airport expansion project signed
With the signing of the last major contract for the Beef Island Airport expansion project last Friday, work is now underway on the airside infrastructural phase of the project.
The M$4.49 contract was awarded to Trinidad Contractors Ltd. It was signed by Chief Minister the Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher and two of the company’s principals - Managing Director R. (Bob) Mahabir and Project Manager R. (Glenn) Balkaran.
Chief Minister O’Neal was happy
to see this contract awarded to a Caribbean company. “So
that means a good hunk of the money is not going out of the region.
We in the Caribbean today must learn to and practice keeping
some of our money within the region.”
There are already several European firms working on the project.
These include Norde France, McArdle and Phillip Holzmann.
The BVI Chief Minister remembered that Trinidad Contractors performed
very well some years ago at Beef Island Airport and said there
is no reason to think they wouldn’t live up to the same
high standards again. “Furthermore, I have no apology to
make for the fact that Trinidad Contractors was awarded the contract
because for us, we’re spending a lot of money.”
He said he hopes they would finish their contract on time and that the other contractors would not keep back the progress of this project. He also encouraged the new contractors to ensure that their entry permits and work permits are in order as they will find that the Immigration and Labour Department “are not as lackadaisical” as before.
“Make sure that you have on the project British Virgin Islanders; we are very much interested in that,” the Chief Minister pointed out. He said this has been stressed in all of the previous contracts.
The Minister for Communications and
Works joined in welcoming Trinidad Contractors back to the BVI.
“It is my understanding on your first contract here, you
did a very good job and I do hope that this time, the standard
that you set the last time can be improved.”
He reiterated the great investment of the BVI government in the
airport project and told the contractors the government and people
of the BVI are looking for the best.
“I look forward to a good working relationship, but we also look forward to a high standard and quality of work and we believe that you can deliver that; that’s why we’re here this day signing this contract with you,” Minister Christopher said. Mr. Mahabir thanked the government of the BVI for placing confidence in Trinidad Contractors Ltd. by awarding them this contract. He confirmed that his company carried out two projects here in 1988 - the construction of a fire hall and the resurfacing of the Beef Island runway.
“The quality of the work that we do, our attitude, our behaviour, will augur hopefully, in our favour, on each project and future projects,” he stated. He referred to the other major contractors on the project and assured that his company can do as well, if not better.
Mr. Mahabir said Trinidad Contractors, though small, is a first world company. He pledged that they would produce a high quality end product, maintain good relationship, involve local participation and pass on knowledge to people working with them. “We always try to work well with our sub contractors; it is the only way to have a successful job, to avoid confusion, litigation and move on to the next step.”
Trinidad Contractors has made its name as a successful contractor in places like Tobago, where they worked on the runway at Crown Point Airport in 1986; in St. Vincent’s Arnos Vale Airport in 1972; St. Lucia’s Vigie (now Alexander) Airport in 1972/73; in the BVI in 1988 and in St. Kitts on the runway in 1989 and two years ago.
The new BVI contract - airside infrastructure - involves the demolition of the terminal once the new terminal is completed, tentatively October 15th, 2001. All the area between the edge of the existing asphalt apron that is now being used, to the edge of the new terminal building, will have to be cleaned of all the old restaurants and buildings.
There will be new flood lighting for
lighting up the new apron, excavation works, filling, preparation
of sub grade for the total area, the installation of sub-base
material, base material, prime coat, tar coat, hot mix asphalting
concrete and finally the sealing of the surface and the demarcating
and flood lighting of the area. Mr. Mahabir explained that all
of this would be done in five phases, as the airport would have
to always remain operational.
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