“water doesn’t run in a straight line.”

Controversy surrounds $154M sluice
August 15, 2009 | By KNews | Filed Under News

…engineer faults diverted channel
This picture clearly shows that the water is running straight, while the sluice has been constructed more to the right side of the canal.

This picture clearly shows that the water is running straight, while the sluice has been constructed more to the right side of the canal.

As the controversy continues between the contractor of the $154 million De Willem Sluice on the West Coast of Demerara, Roopan Ramotar, and the Ministry of Agriculture; Kaieteur News has been reliably informed by a well established engineer that the sluice was actually constructed at the wrong location.
This, the engineer said, is the only reason why the $7 million revetment works are now needed.
The engineer who prefers to remain anonymous told this publication that the consultant, SRKN’gineering and the contractor, Roopan Ramotar, were both instructed to construct the sluice in a certain manner so that there could be a straight water flow.
However, according to the engineer, this was not done. The sluice has been constructed approximately 20 feet from the designated location where an old sluice stood.
This is clearly evident, as the newly constructed sluice is not in alignment with the canal.
This publication understands that during the excavation of the canal, the workers came across an old punt in the identified location for the sluice, and due to this, the consultant and the contractor took the decision to shift the location of the sluice without consulting or seeking the permission of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
Contractor of the De Willem Sluice – Roopan Ramotar also called Fowl cock.

Contractor of the De Willem Sluice – Roopan Ramotar also called Fowl cock.

The engineer explained that neither the consultant nor the contractor has anything on record to show that the NDIA approved the sluice to be shifted.
“The question now is who will pay for the revetment works?” the engineer pointed out.
In this regard, Kaieteur News was informed that the Procurement and Administration Board has been advised that the contractor and consultant should pay for the revetment works, since the fault lies at their feet and not at that of the government.
However, the contractor, Roopan Ramotar, was adamant that the sluice was built at the correct location. He said that he followed the instructions of the consultant.
He explained that he was never told to construct the sluice in alignment with the canal, as according to him, “water doesn’t run in a straight line.”
Ramotar admitted that an old punt was found in the path during the excavation process.
He also said that constructing a sluice is a technical undertaking. He said that even insurance companies do not want to provide coverage for the contractor undertaking such jobs.
“These jobs are not cheap and one mistake and the contractor could lose his life’s savings,” Mr. Ramotar said. He said that contractors are often asked to deposit a sum of money, often not less than $30 million when they undertake such contracts.
Recently, this publication reported that although the sluice has been in construction for some 14 months now, there was some confusion as to the stage of the works.
Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud and SRKN’gineering consultants reported that the works are substantially completed.
However, this was not the view of the contractor, who had informed this newspaper, and which this publication has on record, that the works came to a halt because he was awaiting the approval from the Ministry of Finance for an additional $7 million for the revetment works. These works are being done at the site of the old sluice.
In this regard, Minister Persaud when informed of this by Kaieteur News had said that he is not aware of an additional $7 million.