Submitted by BU’s ABC Source
The contract for the ABC Highway was given, note I didn’t say awarded as this would imply there was a competitive tendering process, to 3S Barbados SRL. The project was funded by a local bank Barbados National Bank. 3S Barbados subcontracted the work to two main local contractors, several other smaller local contractors, a local consultant (for the electrical work) and a consultant with a local branch.
3S Barbados did very little of the actual work themselves. Interestingly the two main local contractors have between them approximately 100 years experience while all of the other contractors have more experience than 3S Barbados did at the start of the contract. 3S’s experience in road building at the start of the contract amounted to all of zero years, zero months.
In addition, of the two main sub contractors one was main contractor and the project manager of the other was part of the design team on the first highway in Barbados to be designed using internationally recognised geometric design standards.
On another note, it would appear as though most people believe that 3S introduced the concept of flyovers to Barbados. In fact, before the advent of 3S when proposals for the upgrading of the ABC highway were being put together, the flyover concept was only one of a number of alternatives being considered. In addition, back in the 1980’s the then leading Civil Engineering consulting firm in Barbados carried out a design for an Oistins bypass road. This road would have started near to the entrance to Fairholme Gardens on Highway 7 and terminate on the road leading to Thornbury Hill somewhere near Pegwell. The road would have had a flyover over the lower level of Oistins Hill just before the steep rise.
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