est. 2007

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3S Barbados SRL To Meet With The PEOPLE Of Barbados To Discuss 'The Construction Of Flyovers On The ABC Highway' ~ We Hope Barbadians Attend In Large Numbers

BU readers are reminded that 3S Barbados SRL, in association with the Government of Barbados, will be holding two town-hall meetings today, October 5, 2007, and Saturday, October 6, 2007. Click here to read the details. The town-hall meetings are a requirement by the Town Planning Department as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which…

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deep_found.jpgBU readers are reminded that 3S Barbados SRL, in association with the Government of Barbados, will be holding two town-hall meetings today, October 5, 2007, and Saturday, October 6, 2007. Click here to read the details. The town-hall meetings are a requirement by the Town Planning Department as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which was conducted in 2006. Barbados Underground urge Barbadians who can make it to the Samuel Jackman Polytechnic on October 5, 2007 – 6PM, and The Manor Lodge Complex on October 6, 2007 – 4.30PM to do so for two reasons: 1.) We consider it our civic duty and 2.) Attendance will help us to have intelligent discussions on the subject of the Operation Free Flow.

Our anonymous friend to BU and BFP posted the following quote to assist people who will be attending the town-hall meetings. We suspect that the scope of the meetings will fail to address cost issues because it is being promoted as a discussion about environmental impact assessment issues. However, if it is possible to find-out about the 3S Barbados SRL, April 2006 drawings of the Operation Free Flow Project, we should try to do so. Our sources indicate this is a vital piece of the puzzle, which we must expose at all cost.

This week there will be 2 town-hall meetings on the overpasses. Questions that need to be asked include (1) Has the final cost of the flyovers been decided and what is the cost. (2) Has a comprehensive feasibility study been carried out to determine the need for these flyovers. (3) Is the flyover solution the best solution (economically and technically) for the traffic congestion problems on the ABC highway. (4) does this solution solve the problem of traffic build-up on Waterford Road, Green Hill, Highway 2A, Collymore rock, Rendezvous road and other roads off the highway or is it just a solution for the highway leaving the real problem of traffic into Bridgetown untouched. (5) Would a solution that involves a non-traffic approach be a more long term solution. (6) If the flyovers are not constructed immediately will the unpaved areas under the flyovers (Warrens and Gary Sobers) be left unpaved. Does this mean that this approach was deliberately taken to ensure immediate construction of the flyovers whatever the cost.

Source: BU Anonymous Commenter

In one of our previous articles, we highlighted the point that was placed in the public domain by the Barbados Association of Engineers (BAPE). That association supports the view that a project the magnitude of Operations Free Flow should have had a consultant overseeing the project. Instead, we have 3S Barbados SRL where the same company is wearing two hats, that of contractor while at the same time doing the quality assurance work. Maybe, you are aware of some problems that Pakistan has had with flyovers collapsing in recent times. In response to the situation, the government has decided that consultants will have the responsibility for managing all significant projects, and will be held fully accountable for any faults in projects – read the full article.

Again, go out in your large numbers to the town-hall meetings, and hear what is being said about the two-year old 3S Barbados SRL, flyovers project. By the way, we received a note alleging that Robert Le Hunte’s nephew is working with 3S Barbados SRL. In case you have forgotten, BNB is financing the BOLT arrangement for the Operation Free Flow Project.

See links to previous stories:

Barbadians Demand to See The April, 2006 Drawings Detailing The Operations Free Flow Project NOW The FlyoversMedia House Takes Another Feeble Left Jab At The 3S Affair~Come On Vivian-Anne, There Is The Right HAND!!!

Clyde Mascoll Needs Only Three Minutes To Do Damage Control On 3S Barbados SRL

Nation Newspaper Finally Awakes From A Deep Slumber By Publishing The 3S Barbados SRL, Jonathan Danos Story ~ Can They Stay Awake?

The Truth, The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth About The Operations Free Flow Project In Barbados. Will It Ever Be Told?

Operations Free Flow Should Be Stopped NOW Pending A Further Geo-technical Study Media Houses In Barbados In Collusion With Government To Suppress News, Press Freedom Under Threat ~ The Voices Of The People Must Be Heard

Gline Clarke And Rihanna Tell Their Supporters To “Shut Up And Drive”

OPERATION Free Flow, Barbados Road Network Infrastructure Improvement Project (Flyover Project) To Triple In Cost From USD60 Million To USD180 Million~Gline Clarke And The Government Of Barbados Owe Barbadians A Big Explanation

ABC Highway Cost Triples Or More

 

157 responses to “3S Barbados SRL To Meet With The PEOPLE Of Barbados To Discuss 'The Construction Of Flyovers On The ABC Highway' ~ We Hope Barbadians Attend In Large Numbers”

  1. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    I some how think Al Gilkes will not risk any form of town hall meeting in the near future.

    It would be a public relations nightmare once people started asking legitimate questions.

  2. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Once again you silence any oppopsition this is not a true freepost

  3. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Mr straight Talk
    I use the name mosquito only because my posts were being blocked under the name bashy. Now they being blocked again.
    To be a truly free posts both sides must be allowed representation yet my polite reasined posts are constantly being blocked

  4. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Frankology
    Why are you waiting on 3S this is a government project and all information on such will come from the office of the MPT. Contact the Chief Technical Officer Mr Frank Thornfield and he will be happy to answer all your queries.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    mosquito~we will this only once, we are not blocking your posts.

  6. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Waterboy
    project free flow is about freeing up the ABC highway the flyovers will do this admirably.
    Simply widening the road will not be sufficient.

  7. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    No loss in my view, but Bashy feel free to explain the following -:

    Adrian This political hopscotch, Hoyos is sitting on the board of the EGFL and he is arranging funds to be directed to Hardwood Holdings a company that he sits on the board of, did anyone else know up to yesterday report that the Gov’t (or is it the EGFL) is an owner of Hardwood Holdings I certainly did not know this did you ???
    then we have the comedy of words with Owing saying his ministers knows what he expects from them, Surely he does not profess to be an example as this example must be one of the worst and most dishonest examples available to them, he alone can attest to being a very large receiver of these funds that have been scammed from these projects how how can he appear so saintly this is is and actor at work.
    Is there an Oscar for the best con artist and thug and crook and thief if so he has no equal in this field.

  8. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    So these flyovers will move the mass of traffic from one bottle neck to one further down the road to bottle neck again, how will flyovers accomodate the movement of the traffic exiting the highway to the single lane traffic as is the case of Wildey road and many others.

  9. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    I have to say shame on VOB today in their effort to avoid reasoned discussion on the pressing issues of the day, they have now narrowed the subject area to Business in Barbados with Ellis and Hoyos.

  10. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    ‘ I am not against the road widening aspect, I am against the rationale of flyovers.’

    Thats your right. You are not an engineer you know very little about flyovers and I suspect nor does Mr Lashly yet you are against them.
    This is no rational at all. The flyover are the best solution to the traffic problem in Barbados being both effective and econmical of land usage.

  11. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    WIV
    There is no point in explaining the principles of the flyover s to you again. You have a mindset that is against them so you will be very pleasantly surprised when they are completed on how well they work.

  12. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    Thanks WIV, I have been asking these questions to no avail. We will be speeding up the traffic to encounter the same bottlenecks. What about the traffic going down Wildey area; or traffic going East West highway; or traffic going down Government Hill; or traffic going Belle Road; or traffic going towards Combermere School area; or traffic going Green Hill; or traffic going Chefette/Kentucky area; or University Hill and finally Redman’s Village area. Focusing on flyovers and forgetting the veins leading to urban Barbados will not remedy our traffic problems.

    I would like to know if any survey was done to verify if 100% vehicles start from the Sobers roundabout, what will be the percentage of these said vehicles will continue going the Redman’s area going to the north of the island? Any answers Bashy alias Mosquito?

  13. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    It would be a public relations nightmare once people started asking legitimate questions.

    No it wouldnt. People have a right to ask questions and get answers but not to balcken the character of honest people just to make a political statement.

  14. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Frankology
    I can only there are none so blind as those who dont want to see.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    mosquito your one liners are killing us coming from someone who appear to be seized with inside knowledge.

    Tell the PEOPLE what you know. Answer some of the questions with facts!

  16. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    Mosquito. Are you an engineer? If a leader cannot take advice from the man in the street that business would fail. If Barbadians refuse to air their views you will see rampant spending. I am the barrier for the people.

  17. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    This is Monday and no one has answered any of the questions posted on this or BU blob.

  18. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Thanks David I try my best!

  19. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Frankology
    If a leader cannot take advice from the man in the street that business would fail.

    Would it?
    The man in the street is not necessarily an expert ,if he was HE would be running the bussiness not criticising thoses who have made things happen.I was under the impression that leaders were elected to lead.

  20. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    Trust me if these flyovers did not have some steal in there they would never be considered, The only and real reason for them is that they will provide an avenue for filtering more money out to the ones that are the power over us the citizens of this land.
    The only reason I will restate is to provide and avenue for corruption.

  21. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    Waterboy

    I find your second hand story re Mr Lashly unconvincing but believe what you like it just sounds like sour grapes to me from a contractor whose company is not building this forward looking project.

  22. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    WIV

    You are obsessed with ‘tiefing and steal.’Try not to judge everyone by your own standards.

  23. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    I was under the impression that leaders were elected to lead.

    ————————————————
    That’s why the from an engineer to a paro the playing field is level. Everyone will use one word from the alphabet. That is the mighty “X” that can move a leader.

    So if you thing the man in the street don’t have a say wait till election day.

  24. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Mosquito aka bashy:

    Encore.

    Yes or no.

    Have any flyovers been ordered as yet and what is their lead time?

  25. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    Frankology, I thought I answered your questions but I’ll try again:

    The problem with the highway as it existed was that the roundabouts acted as bottlenecks causing traffic to build up along the highway and along the roads crossing the highway. The roundabout were bad because they did not have sufficient capacity to handle the volume of traffic.

    Two options were examined – an at-grade solution with road widening along the stretches and at the roundabouts and the flyover solution with road widening.

    I don’t know how to explain other than to use the ratios – I apologise again as I remember you didn’t like these on Friday.

    The current ratio of volume to capacity of roundabouts at all times of the day in 2005 was something like 1.14:1 – i.e. 14% more volume than capacity. And given that this is at average at all times of the day you can only imagine what that ratio is at peak travel times. With projected vehicle growth rates that ratio skyrockets as we get to 2030 to something like 4:1.

    The at-grade solution provided some immediate relief but with growth rates we were back in our current situation by 2015.

    With the flyovers the ratio plummets to something like 0.2:1 when the project is finished and with the projected growth rates we do not get back into our current predicament until 2030 when the ratio is expected to be 1.1:1.

    The reason the flyovers is such a good option is because they eliminate a significant amount of volume from the roundabouts, that being the traffic traveling along the highway.

    The percentage of traffic that travels from wildey to simpson motors was explained to me to be approximately 70% of all traffic travelling alogn the highway when it was studied before the project.

    Now my caveats:

    1- project was poorly tendered, planned and executed
    2-I am not an emplyee of any company attached to the project nor am I am member of any Government minitsry or agency. I was previously exposed to a great deal of information to do with the project – not all information so I cannot answer all questions.

    3-

  26. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    3- I disagree the BAPE and their suggestion that an atgrade solution is better – I also saw these designs for a six lane highway and tons of traffic lights. Conceptually it makes very poor sense HOWEVER I am much more concerned that they seem to think it will not be structuarlyll sound. Fortunately 3S has guaranteed the structures for 10 years after they havbe been installed so if they do fall down it will be at them – hopefully it would’t happen in year 11

  27. David Avatar
    David

    ABC how do you respond to BAPE when they say there is not enough distance on most of the flyers to ensure smooth accelaration and decelaration entering and existing.

    The other point which you make about 3S guaranting the project. Were they asked to submit a performance bond? If the thing falls down where will this 2 year old company find the money?

  28. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    As a layperson and having studied the designs and having seen onramps and such in other countries I disagree – wouldn’t suggest ignoring BAPE but the 3S people and are all P.Eng guys you would think they would consider this. You can discount it however you wish, but I don’t think these guys are necessarily frauds or looking to fleece us. They are a new company but bhink about it – they have just started a company and more than likely want to grow thier business – building a crappy road and a poor reputation is not going to help this.

    The only place that was of concern was in Warrens where the design was changed to have one large elevated road over both roundabouts.

    In terms of guarantee I dont know the mechanism other than the company is contractually bound to guarantee the roads from all defects for 10 years.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    ABC~we accept your ‘layman’ perspective . Since you can’t answer our question we want to ask our anonymous friend if 3S Barbados had to provide a Performance Bond to win this contract. From research it is a standard requirement to ensure there is recourse in the event something bad happens. Can we reasonably assume that if they have to guarantee the road/flyovers for 10 years the government would at least have requested that a security blanket be put in place? Do we know which bank/insurance company has issued a guarantee on their behalf?

    Just asking.

  30. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    Performance bonding is generally associated with construction works and the purpose is if the contractor fails to execute or for some reason leaves or is fired from the job the bond is to provide money to start anew, find a new contractor and mobilise them. In this regard 3S is required to (and does from what I understand) have a performance bond on the project. The subs also (COW and Rayside).

    In terms of the guarantee/warranty the mechanism would be different I think.

    Performance bonds are generally done with banks and insurance companies – I would think the guarantee/warranty would be more like an insurance policy and I wouldn’t see a bank doing this. Maybe the other guy can contribute something.

  31. Idealist Avatar
    Idealist

    Am I mistaken, is this a BOLT contract?

    Build, OPERATE, lease and transfer after 25 years.

    Where did this 10 year guarantee arise from?

    If we are paying 3S to operate the road, their only liability is maintenance, for the full 25 years surely.

    If not why didn’t GoB borrow the money, which has been lent to 3S, directly from the willing BNB.

    This must be a remarkable lease agreement if one has in fact been drawn up as yet.

    It seems everything is being made up as it goes along and with 100s of millions of dollars at stake clarity and transparency is needed.

  32. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    3s is not a part of the BOLT – a compnay called ABC Project Corp set up and managed by BNB is the operator of the BOLT.

    ABC leases road from Govt, contracts 3S to build, operates the road (i.e. they are supposed to be responsible for maintainence in some way) and leases it back to Govt. After 25 years road lease is returned to Govt.

    Concurrently ABC borrows money from various parties to who benefit from the lease payments from Govt.

  33. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    The guarantee from 3S is sort of a separate thing

  34. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    Idealist asks: why didn’t GoB borrow the money, which has been lent to 3S, directly from the willing BNB

    If the Gov’t borrows directly then it increases their overall debt load – a headache when it comes time for the annual chat with S&P particularly given continued increase in national debt (approaching 100% of GDP).

    With the BOLT structure – and I don’t fully understand this – the Government accounting only has to recognize the current years lease payments as a liability – not the full amount of debt. So if the project costs $360m, instead of showing a bond of something that they had to issue to get that amount as a liability – they only have to show what the owe in the current year. Would be something like $40m at 10% interest. Maybe a min of finance person or an accountant can elaborate.

    Also BNB is not lending all the money – at least I don’t think so. I can’t imagine any bank lending 100% of a project this big unless their risk managers are out drinking all day. It would be madness. The BOLT structure will allow them to raise money from other lenders (banks, insurance companies, etc).

  35. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    ‘The only place that was of concern was in Warrens where the design was changed to have one large elevated road over both roundabouts.’

    The original design was for one flyover and a trumpet design at the Simpson motor roundabout. A brilliant and inovative alternative to a flyover.

  36. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    ‘In short we have bought ourselves a (now) 23 year solution to traffic congestion. It’s sound in my opinion. Quote ABC’

    I would like to add that the design was done by one of the worlds foremost bridge and road designers.

  37. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    Who is that? (one of the worlds foremost designers)

  38. mosquito Avatar
    mosquito

    The three questions that Adrian Loveridge asks have absoultely no bearing on the building of the flyovers. His continual hounding of Mr Danos a man he does not know and has done him no wrong does him no credit at all.

  39. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    David, I did asked in earlier posts regarding 3S Barbados posting monies due to any civil suit or under-performance which was never answered. I am interested to know what is the connection with one of the sub-contractor, the lender and the silence of the opposition in the triple connection.

  40. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    Am I of the believe that this foremost bridge and road designer is Mayby & Johnson?

  41. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I am fed up with this weblog now. It has become boring as hell and is run by Frankology, Mosquito and ABC. Goodbye.

    Anonymous we have followed your comments for a while and we know that your few comments have never been favourable of BU. We have ignored you when you posted using the names, Iris and Jim, John G, Pearl and your latest name Anonymous, ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE.
    All the best to you!
    David

  42. David Avatar
    David

    Let us clarify something. Our source at Mabey’s confirmed that the original proposal was for road widening ONLY. The subsequent addition of flyovers was an after thought, and our best efforts show that there was no tender for that part of the project. We should separate the benefits of the flyover project and the mishandling.

  43. YUM YUM I like it! Avatar
    YUM YUM I like it!

    Mosquito

    I too think that the continual hounding of Mr Danos serves no purpose.

  44. Waterboy Avatar
    Waterboy

    ABC
    Now my caveats:

    1- project was poorly tendered, planned and executed
    ————————————————————
    ABC. Poorly tendered? Surely you mean not tendered.

    The question is why?

  45. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    David,
    Don’t you love these ABC ‘PR specialist ‘who come on here pretending ignorance when difficult and critical questions are asked but who seem to know all the reasons why this project was conceived in heaven?

    “done by one of the best bridge designers in the world” but don’t know who that is and the plans seem to be top secret
    10 year guarantee – but the government won’t own the roads for 25 years
    – by the way – The GoB just GAVE these people these roads JUST SO? You ever hear such nonsense?
    These people ever heard about TRANSPARENCY? or they think we are ALL idiots?

    Best of all, i like the two ‘experts’ talking about ‘solving the traffic problems for the next 25 years”…..
    So our traffic problems are confined to the ABC? people only want to get from warrens to Garfield Sobers roundabout?
    Obviously when they finish spending the 400 million dollars we will just have a DIFFERENT traffic problem with different choke points… any idiot can see that..
    Why not look at all options up front and determine the OVERALL BEST solution??? – because as I have always said – the intent here is to organise a FREE FLOW OF FUNDS – not traffic.
    ABC and mosquito could really buzz off…

  46. Frankology Avatar
    Frankology

    This is interesting David. Since the first figure was $120 million, and only the road widening aspect was discuss, should we the foolish bunch reach the stupid conclusion that the additional scope of work is really the $240 million for the flyovers? Hey! we need answers. Remember Mosquito we are just the men in the street. But damn smart.

  47. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Many of your commenters and readers seem to think that the concept of flyovers is new to Barbados. However, back in the mid-1980s an Oistins Bypass Road was designed. This road had a flyover that went over the road between Oistins and Oistins hill. The road started just south of where the Barbados Cooperative Credit Union League office was formerly located and ended just down the hill from Thornbury hill.

    A flyover is nothing more than an overpass bridge (a bridge passing over a roadway) and is designed like any other road bridge. They do not require any unusual skills to either design or build. In fact, a prestressed concrete bridge, like the Lancaster bridge, is at least as complicated.

  48. David Avatar
    David

    There has been a lot of talk about what the lay people are saying compared to the experts. Here is a lengthy perspective from the much talked about Roger Blackman of the Barbados Association of Professional Engineers (BAPE)

    BAPE Position Paper
    ABC Highway Expansion Project

    The Barbados Association of Professional Engineers (BAPE) has already expressed concerns
    about the ABC Highway expansion project being undertaken by 3S Structural Solutions LLC.
    These concerns include:

    • the contract was agreed without a competitive tender process;
    • the flyover solution was agreed before a traffic study was done; and this study was
    then undertaken by the same firm whose flyover proposal had already been accepted;
    • the approval process for a project requiring such a large investment of public funds
    should have included a rigorous technical and economic feasibility study.

    In addition to the company’s financial position, the qualification of a contractor to undertake this
    project should also have included consideration of the qualifications and experience of the key
    personnel, the nature of the contractor’s past experience, and a review of the firm’s litigation
    history.
    Having observed the work in progress, BAPE questions whether full consideration has been given to the following areas which could negatively impact public safety and maintenance costs.
    1. The drainage design at the superelevated sections (i.e. banked corners) of the highway
    between Wildey and Warrens appears to violate major road drainage engineering design
    principles. At superelevated sections, the entire width of the highway slopes in one
    direction, and rainwater would similarly drain in the same one direction. The design
    being built includes elongated horizontal slots near the base of the concrete medians to
    allow water to drain from the northbound lanes to the southbound lanes and vice versa.
    During a recent period of heavy rainfall, it was observed that the volume of water flowing
    as a sheet across the southbound section was very significant. The danger is that this
    water could lead to hydroplaning, a loss of traction between vehicle tires and the road,
    and the loss of control of the vehicle, resulting in serious accidents. One of the worst
    possible locations to lose control of a vehicle is in a corner. To reduce the risk of
    hydroplaning, technical standards used in highway design provide recommended limits
    on the volume of sheet flow. Other problems associated with inadequate drainage are a
    potential reduction in the durability of the pavement surface and an increase in the
    splatter of water, which also has the potential to lead to vehicle accidents.

    • BAPE recommends that 3S be asked to provide information on the standards
    used in the design of this road drainage system, and to identify where in the
    world they have constructed a similar road drainage design, so that the
    consequential effects can be examined.
    2. Another safety concern is the location of the concrete islands at the Belle intersection.
    The islands are built along the continuation of the highway curb line, which on a highway
    such as this, means that they could present a collision danger to road users. It would be
    advisable that these be set back a minimum of 2 feet.

    • BAPE recommends that 3S be asked to provide information on the standards
    used in the design of this intersection, and examples of similarly constructed
    intersections they have designed elsewhere so that the consequential effects can
    be examined.
    3. Based on observations of the spacing between street lighting fixtures it appears that full-
    cutoff fixtures rather than the previous semi-cutoff fixtures will be used. Full-cutoff
    fixtures put light on the ground below the fixture only, and do not emit light above
    90 degrees. There is therefore less “uplight” and light pollution from the fixture.
    This is desirable, however to achieve uniform lighting either more fixtures must
    be used or the height must be increased – both of which have cost and energy use
    implications.
    Additionally, the lighting pole bases appear to be unusually small, raising concerns over the design wind speeds employed.

    • BAPE recommends that 3S be asked to provide information on the type of street
    lighting selected for the project and the analysis carried out to determine the
    impact of this choice on maintenance and operating costs. They should also be
    asked to provide details of the wind speed and loads used in the design of these
    lighting poles and their supports.
    4. It was observed that the original 75mm and 100mm conduits for the street lighting were
    removed and replaced with 50 mm conduits. The larger conduits in the original design
    would have permitted some redundancy in the cabling installed and therefore improved
    reliability of the street lights, i.e. a failure on one cable would not result in all lights
    failing at the same time. BAPE is concerned that the smaller conduits may not permit this
    level of redundancy.

    • 3S should be asked to provide information on the street lighting design and the
    mitigation measures in place to address this concern.
    5. There appears to be limited access across the long stretches of Jersey barriers (concrete
    median) for Police and Emergency vehicles should the need arise.

    • BAPE recommends that some provision be made to allow for access across these
    barriers in the event of emergencies, and recommends that 3S be asked to
    address this concern.

    6. Understandably, significant effort is being made by the contractors to allow continued
    use of the highway while construction is in progress. We are however concerned about
    the lack of safety night lighting and markings, primarily at the round-a-bouts and major
    junctions.

    • BAPE recommends that measures be put in place to remedy this situation.

    It is important to bear in mind that the foregoing is based on concerns expressed by some of our
    members who pass the site from time to time, and does not constitute a full engineering review.
    These queries simply serve to underscore the primary concern BAPE has held from the inception
    of this project, namely the absence of a technical and economic feasibility study preceding the project.

    Perhaps the time has arrived when designs for significant public projects be made easily accessible (e.g. via the Internet) for critical review prior to their construction. The environmental and social impact studies for these projects should be made similarly available.
    BAPE is mindful of its obligation to highlight issues which it believes present a potential threat to public safety. The design of all projects, particularly large, public infrastructure projects, should be critically reviewed before construction starts. One likely outcome of the failure to ensure the project has been planned using sound technical and financial principles is an increase in cost beyond the planned budget, when deficiencies must be corrected, or additional work is forced to be added to the scope.

    Roger Blackman
    President – BAPE
    http://www.bape.org

  49. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    David, surely there will tremendous insurance and legal liability implications if the Government proceeds with the existing plans and then there are accidents?
    It is clear BAPE has strong concerns over the existing project.

    Do we know who are the engineering advisors to 3S (Barbados), SRL or 3S Structural Steel Solutions LLC?

    Do we also know which of these two companies the Government has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with?

    The reason I ask is that 3S (Barbados), SRL is a company with restricted liabilities, so in the event of legal recourse, should this concern us?

  50. ABC Avatar
    ABC

    I believe that Stantec is the consulting engineer.

    MOU signed with 3S SSS LLC; SRL didn’t exist at that time. In either case you make a good point about legal recourse I think – it’s not like 3S SSS LLC is a large organisation with lots of assets either – 5 employees and a desk in Delaware.

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