REMARKS

BY

THE HON. BRADLEY B. ROBERTS, MP,

MINISTER OF WORKS AND UTILITIES,

ON THE OCCASION OF

CONTRACTS SIGNING IN NORTH ANDROS FOR:

(1)        THE STAFFORD CREEK, STANYARD CREEK     AND CONCH SOUND SETTLEMENT ROADS REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION;

 (2) THE REPLACEMENT OF WATER LINES IN

           STAFFORD CREEK;

(3)        REPAIRS TO THE STAFFORD CREEK     BRIDGE;

AND

(4)        TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO CONTRACTORS TO BID ON THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) FUNDED LOWE SOUND SEAWALLS PROJECT.

AUGUST 8^TH, 2006

STANYARD CREEK AND CONCH SOUND NORTH ANDROS

BAHAMAS

_________________________________

SALUTATIONS/GREETINGS

ØMINISTER VINCENT PEET

ØAMBASSADOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, H.E.KEOD SMITH & MP FOR MOUNT MORIAH

ØMEMBERS OF THE CLERGY

ØPERM SEC/BERNARD

ØDONALD DEMERITTE CHAIRMAN W&S CORP

ØADMINISTRATORS DR.CHRISTIE AND MR COOPER

ØCOUNCILLORS

ØDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/ HUTCHINSON

ØCHIEF ARCHITECT FORBES

ØFAMILY ISLAND ENGINEER/CAMPBELL AND OTHER LOCAL MINISTRY OF WORKS STAFF

ØSENIOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER/ BULLARD

ØMEMBERS OF THE PRESS

ØDISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

ØBOYS AND GIRLS

Ladies and Gentlemen: it is always a special privilege to be here in the Big Yard and the Island birth-place of my Grand Mother, Maude Faustina Albury, nee Brooks, of Nicholls Town.

This 2,300-square-mile island paradise is not only known as the bone fishing capital of the world, but also boasts the second-largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to the oldest dive resort on the planet. The crystal clear, blue waters makes discovering the abundant marine wildlife surrounding Andros Island a magical treat our visitors never forget. The diverse topography which rises from these tropical waters, is full of life, some of which are unique to Andros.

It is on this note that I bring you warm greetings on behalf of the good people of the Bain & Grants Town Constituency who urge North Andros to stay the course and continue to protect our Great Bahamian Heritage.

Ladies and Gentlemen: permit me to pay special tribute to your Member Of Parliament, the Hon Vincent Peet, Minister of Financial Investments with responsibility for the Hotel Corporation and Bahamas Industrial Corporation.  He is hard working and focused and ensures that North Andros gets it fair share of the economic pie. Vincent Peet’s long list of achievements for you, the good people of North Andros, is unprecedented in my 24 years as a Member of Parliament.

In this regard, the projects that I have the special pleasure of announcing today, came as a result of the dedicated efforts of your Hon.Member of Parliament, Minister Vincent Peet.  I can also tell you, Ladies and Gentlemen, that North Andros can also expect to get its Major Anchor Hotel Property and other Investments as part and parcel of Perry Christie’s master plan for the Family Islands. Indeed, this Government’s record today should leave on doubt whatsoever that it is fully capable of delivering on this promise. I can assure you that as the Minister with portfolio for National Investments, Vincent Peet will get the job done and in grand style. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, The repair and reconstruction of roads in the Family Islands continue to be a major focus of my Ministry.    In this regard, my technical officers, having recently completed a survey of the main roads and all settlement roads in North and Central Andros, have determined that due to the extensive nature of the repairs, such works will have to be done in phases.  Accordingly, the first phase of the repair works has been identified as the Roads in the settlements of Stafford Creek, Stanyard Creek and Conch Sound.

A few months ago, an article in a local Newspaper suggested that these road works were to be contracted to a Nassau based Road Building Company; however, despite my assurance that the same was without foundation, they still printed the baseless story. As you would no doubt be aware, the Christie’s Government policy is to engage local qualified Contractors save and except where lender requirements are to the contrary.

1.        SETTLEMENT ROADS IN STAFFORD CREEK,   STANYARD CREEK AND CONCH SOUND, NORTH ANDROS

The repair and reconstruction of roads and other infrastructure in the Family Islands continue to be a focus of my Ministry.    In this regard, my technical officers, having recently completed a survey of the main roads and all settlement roads in North and Central Andros, have determined that due to the extensive nature of the repairs, such works will have to be done in phases.  Accordingly, the first phase of the repair works has been identified as the roads in the settlements of Stafford Creek, Stanyard Creek and Conch Sound.

In considering suitable contractors for undertaking these projects, my Ministry has identified the need for capacity building in road building contractors throughout the Islands of the Bahamas.   Nonetheless, tenders were invited from two local contractors In Andros - the Stafford Creek Development Company (SCDC), and the Andros Farm Ltd (AFL), who, with adequate supervision by my technical officers, are deemed capable of completing the necessary work within a reasonable timeframe.

To this end, a contract valued at $351,000 has been awarded to the Andros Farm (Construction Company) Ltd to reconstruct 19,008 sq. yd. of roads inclusive of some 25,344 sq. yd. of base works in the Stafford Creek and Stanyard Creek Settlements.

A second contract valued at $ 464,470 was awarded to the Stafford Creek Development Company to carry out the following works in the Conch Sound Settlement:

Ø    Patch and Seal 36,018 sq.yd. of roads;

Ø    Construct 10,499 sq.yd. of base works;

Ø    Reconstruct 7,874 sq.yd. of roads;

Ø    Clear 8,020 sq.yd. of verges.

2.      THE  STAFFORD CREEK  WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

As a result of the historical complaints by the residents of the Stafford Creek Settlement regarding the perennial low water pressure and the poor quality of “Rusty Distribution Water” that they have been receiving, a supply and distribution system analysis was recently conducted at the behest of your Member of Parliament and son of Stafford Creek, the Hon Vincent Peet. The findings of this survey were:

i.               When water supply from the well-fields system is interrupted for significant durations, the distribution water exhibits high rust content whenever the system is reactivated, particularly in the easternmost section of this community.

ii.            On the other hand, when water supply from the well-fields system is uninterrupted and distribution water flow is dynamic, distribution water is virtually rust free.

iii.         Galvanized metal sections of transmission and distribution system were severely corroded throughout.

The Stafford Creek Settlement’s water distribution infrastructure is comprised of approximately 14, 712 ft of 2” diameter galvanized (metal) pipes, 2” diameter polyvinylchloride or PVC pipes and 4” diameter PVC pipes.  Its 2” diameter galvanized/metal section represents 49.6 % of the entire network and was installed some 40 years ago.  Extensive corrosion (rust) is evident throughout this section’s connected pipes and associated fittings. An estimated 1000 ft length of it remains fully to partially submerged in surface/pond water. The remaining 50.4 % of Stafford Creek’s water network is composed of PVC pipes.  As such, they remain sound and unaffected by corrosion.

Over time, the corrosion process yielded rust build-up /deposits along the interior walls of the galvanized pipes.  This rust is transmitted to consumers via the erosion effect of dynamic/moving water on rust build-up. When water-flow throughout this system is disrupted, reactivation causes rust particles to become dislodged from the pipes’ walls via the “hammering effect” produced by intermittent pump pressure.

 PROPOSED SOLUTION

 Ladies and Gentlemen, the solution for eliminating the transmission of rusty water is to by-pass the existing galvanized pipe system by utilizing 2” diameter PVC pipes.  This will require the installation of some 5,560 linear feet of 2” diameter PVC conduits along the main roadway running West to East and leading into Stafford Creek with a tie-in to a 3,840 ft section along the coastal road running North to South. This proposed solution will result in the installation of a total of 7800 ft of PVC pipe for an estimated cost of $164,000.00

 The trenching for the installation of the PVC pipes will be executed by the Stafford Creek Development Company at a cost of $70,000. The Water and Sewerage Corporation will supply the necessary PVC pipes and parts.  

3.      THE STAFFORD CREEK BRIDGE REPAIRS

Ladies and Gentlemen, tenders were invited from three (3) contractors to effect repair works on the Stafford Creek Bridge. The Love Hill Construction Company was the sole bidder at a very competitive price of $39,308.00. The scope of works comprise the following:

Ø    Clear superstructure of all plants, grass and other vegetation;

Ø    Cut out and replace defective gratings in spalled section of steel deck;

Ø    Weld grating sections to form one continuous element;

Ø    Clean all steel beam of rust and repaint with epoxy marine resistant paint;

Ø    Cut out and replace defective sections of barrier curb and rail to the steel section of the bridge;

Ø    Cut out spalled rebars from damaged section of concrete barrier wall, etc.

A contract will be awarded shortly to carry out these repairs to the Fresh Creek Bridge.

4.      EU (EUROPEAN UNION) FUNDED PROJECTS

I wish to take this opportunity to announce that tender documents are already available from my Ministry for bidding on several projects for the rehabilitation of roads, timber/wooden bridges, drainage and sea walls structures in the Lowe Sound area.

As you would be aware, Hurricane Michelle in 2001, and Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004, have damaged significant portions of roads as well as many miles of seawall exposed to the hurricane force waves.  In several locations along the coastal roads, shoulders have been washed away leaving steep and dangerous drop-offs while in other areas, erosion has taken place under the edge of the coastal roads weakening the stability and structural integrity of the road pavement. 

The project, therefore, aims at minimizing the flow of sea water undermining the pavement of the coastal roads by repairing the road shoulder to improve drivers’ safety, by providing proper drainage to minimize flooding, and by improving the natural environment of the wetlands and swamps.

Contracts for this project will be funded with financial assistance from the 9^th European Development Fund. However, there is a fee of $200 attached to the tender documents which is primarily to help cover the cost of the preparation of these documents as well as to encourage serious bidders only for collecting the documents.  Tentatively, the deadline for submission of the bids is September 25^th, 2006 at 11:00 am.

Detailed information on the tendering process for this 9^th EU funded project can be accessed on my Ministry’s Website at  www.mowt.bs

PROPOSED PRIMARY SCHOOLS – LOWE SOUND, NORTH ANDROS AND FRESH CREEK, CENTRAL ANDROS

Within weeks, the Government, in carrying out its new schools construction initiative, will offer for competitive tendering, two new state-of-the-art primary schools to be constructed in Lowe Sound, North Andros and in Fresh Creek, Central Andros.

The architectural design for both primary schools will be similar in nature, and both schools will be built on a minimum of 12 acres of land each in the aforementioned settlements.  The primary schools architectural design provides for a single story and concrete masonry structure of 18,106 square feet area of enclosed space and 6,971 square feet area of covered pedestrian walkways for a grand area of 25,077 square feet.  Each school will accommodate about 300 students.

The major spaces for each primary school will consist of:  pre-school classroom with dedicated restrooms and kitchen, 10 standard classrooms, science laboratory, art, music, library, student sick bay room, multi purpose room, student rest rooms and showers.  There will also be student covered lunch area with food vendors stalls.  There will be student

outdoor sport facilities consisting of a softball field, basketball and volleyball courts, and track and field facility. 

Also, the primary school will be provided with an administration section, consisting of a reception area, principal and vice principal offices, staff room with dedicated rest rooms.

The pre-school classroom will not only have dedicated restrooms for students, but it will also have storage cabinets, marker, display boards, and an enclosed out door play area for the pre-schoolers.

Each standard classroom will be outfitted with heavy-duty aluminum windows, steel doors, storage cabinets, marker and display boards, 4 (numbers) ceiling fans and 9 (numbers) fluorescent light fixtures.  Each classroom will also have non-slip ceramic floor tiles.

The special classrooms such as science, art, music and library will each have special features to assist the users in functioning and benefiting from the same. The multi purpose space would be utilized for not only functions such as school assembly and school concerts, but also as a hurricane shelter for the Community.

As articulated earlier, the Government within a matter of weeks will invite local Building Contractors within the northern and central Andros districts to offer competitive tenders to construct the two (2) state-of-the-art primary schools.  Please be advised that based on the anticipated construction cost about ($2.75 - $3.7 million)  The successful Building Contractors will be required to provide contactors ‘All Risk” insurance, be up to date in its National Insurance payment and have a current business license.

The school projects are expected to be tendered no later than the 1^st week of September 2006 and after tender analysis relevant Government approvals, including cabinets, the school projects construction are anticipated to commence in October 2006.  The construction period for each school is expected to be about sixteen (16) months.

OTHER GOVERNMENT BUILDING CONTRACTS

In addition to the imminent two primary schools constructions, there are also other Government Building contracts currently being executed within Andros, particularly in Central and North Andros as follows:

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my hope that the foregoing will in no small measure serve to reassure you that this caring Government has, and will continue to have as its priority, the good citizens of Andros best interests at heart.

I thank you.