It is easy to obtain quotes for the cost of a pump via the internet

It is easy to obtain quotes for the cost of a pump via the internet

Posted By Stabroek staff On August 27, 2009 @ 5:03 am In Letters | 4 Comments

Dear Editor,
I refer to a report in KN dated 23.8.09 on the Stanleytown project containing a response by the Ministry of Finance to queries raised earlier in that newspaper about the price paid for the pump.

In my opinion it was highly irregular for a contract to be awarded based on only one bid. The ministry did not mention if there was an engineer’s estimate for the project. It is very easy via the internet to obtain a quote from the US for the cost of the pump and for the government to purchase it and then tender for a quote for its installation. I am sure the government would have received many quotations. This would remove any suggestion of hanky panky with the tender.

The manufacturer normally supplies installation instructions and a wiring diagram for the pump.

It is no big deal to install the pump, since all you need is qualified electrician and a foreman with mechanical know-how; a few labourers and a lifting crane with supervision from the engineer.

I am sure it would have cost far less to supply and install the pump. That is how all the pumps were installed along the coast during the ’60s and ’70s.

I am also concerned about the repair of the two pumps at Liliendaal. These pumps among several others were purchased in 1969, installed in 1977 as well as repaired I believe, on at least two occasions by the city council. It is ludicrous to spend nearly US$440M to repair these pumps that have passed their life expectancy of 25 years. One of the pumps also had holes in it.

It would have been far cheaper to purchase new pumps and install same as described above. All you have to do is lift out the old ones with a crane and install the new ones and make adjustments to tie in to the discharge pipe outlet through the sea defence coping wall. The existing electrical sub-station would have required some minor upgrading.

The money remaining from the Liliendaal project would have helped in the cost of re-conditioning the main supply drain, cleaning the basin, etc, to maintain an adequate supply of water so as not to burn out the motors of the pump.
It is evident that the government is lacking in engineering expertise both in the D&I and Sea Defence sectors.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Alli
4 Comments (Open | Close)

4 Comments To "It is easy to obtain quotes for the cost of a pump via the internet"

#1 Comment By Raymond Persaud On August 27, 2009 @ 8:44 am

The type of pumps and other water controlled structures currently used, needs to be assessed and changed.
The old pumps are not ver good when dealing with foreign objects (such as garbage) in the water. Additionally, even when the water levels in the trenches are high these old pumps are often starved of water after a few hours pumping since the size of the trenches leading up the the pumps are inadequate.
My suggestion is to use the screw/auger type pumps that can even handle a tyre passing through as well as low water levels.
Additionally, there need to be a change from the manually operated wooded sluices to stainless steel ones and also the use of flap valves on the outlet structures that will close itseld as the tide come in.

#2 Comment By Mohamed I. Ally On August 27, 2009 @ 1:17 pm

Brother, if we government paying hundreds of millions of dollars to construct wooden sluices, then it will pay billions of dollars to build “stainless steel ones”.

More `Fowl Cocks’ will crow, dear brother.

Brother, we will in a time and country where the impossible now becomes possible.

God bless Guyana.

#3 Comment By GUYFLAG On August 27, 2009 @ 5:24 pm

MR. MALCOLM ALLI, HAS MADE PROFESSIONAL, SIMPLE AND CLEAR POINTS.. THAT SURELY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED , by the Govt. agencies involved.. they may have alternative justification for the approach they take, but lets hear it….THIS brings me to the point I would like to make… THE MINORITY PARTY(S) .. that for 15 yrs. seek to unseat the GOVT… during those years they have made NO EFFORT,… TO EMBARRASS THE GOVT. IN ways that would matter to decent law-abiding guyanese.. They have refused the avenues of challenge, in a civilised society,.. i.e, the PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS, .. AND SUBSTITUTED INSTEAD , protest and BURN..and so has left the entire section of lawfull, responsible, and honest citizens at the mercy of the Govt. of the day,.. whether good or bad”… I have never seen a credible, rational, nor informed challenge by the opposition on matters that would really affect the life and developement of guyanese… just year after year of threats, violence, name calling and acts of destabilisation, that benefits NO ONE,.. not even the architects of the activity…. for example.. was there a need for a challenge to the siting of the Berbice river bridge ? i thought so.. this was a national project with significant economic and social implications…(opposition not interested); .and there are quite a few of questionable projects and decisions by the Admin… but who pays attention.. the citezens who matter would pay attention if there was a group of respectable arbiters on their behalf,.. using the parliamentary and constitutional avenues available… the newest minority party has come along, and those of us who had expectatios of an enlightened voice on our behalf, ,are numbed by disapointment, on their approach, which, in many ways mirrors the bankruptcy, of the other failed minority group… Is our only hope ,the Govt. of the day?…this is so hard to accept…

#4 Comment By BORAPORK On August 27, 2009 @ 11:49 pm

“It is ludicrous to spend nearly US$440M to repair these pumps that have passed their life expectancy of 25 years. One of the pumps also had holes in it.”

What kind of pumps cost that type of money to repair? There must have been a typo.

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