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The PNCR today called for a comprehensive investigation into recent problems at the Paluima Airport.
PNCR released the following news:
PNCR calls for a full investigation into the Paluima Airport runway fiasco and urgent engineering tests to determine the extent of the airport runway defects – (July 21, 2024).
The condition of the Paluima airport is deplorable. After spending nearly $400 million, the runway failed as soon as the first plane landed. It could have been a disaster with several lives lost, but thankfully, thank God, no one died.
However, the absence of casualties does not mean that we as a nation can take this matter lightly. The design and construction process for civil engineering projects should include checks and balances, quality assurance and quality control. At each stage of the design process, design deliverables such as geotechnical reports, structural calculations, construction drawings and specifications need to be individually reviewed and approved. This review is critical to the safety of Guyanese using newly constructed roads, bridges and airports.
Construction should be closely supervised by competent professionals. No contractor should carry out work without supervision. This supervision should ensure that the reinforcement is clean and placed as required by the drawings, the concrete mix design complies with the contract requirements, and the concrete is poured and compacted as required. This process should also include routine compression tests of concrete poured in the work, and if these tests fail, the contractor should be required by the contract to remove and replace the unsatisfactory concrete.
If this process had been followed, the Paruima runway could not have failed. There would have been a rush to blame the contractor, impose financial penalties, and sweep the problem under the rug. However, what happened at Paruima Airport demonstrates a pervasive problem in the PPP procurement process. Therefore, PNCR calls for a full, transparent investigation into the Paruima Airport fiasco. The nation needs to know:
1. Who designed this airstrip?
2. Were the required engineering processes followed?
3. Who reviewed and approved the designs? What were the results of the review?
4. Who, if anyone, supervises the contractor while the work is being performed?
5. Has routine compression testing been carried out on the concrete used in the project?
6. If testing was performed, did any samples fail? If so, what actions were taken?
7. If no testing was done, why?
8. Were there any non-engineering/political interventions or influences throughout the project?
Most critically, PNCR has also called for urgent non-destructive on-site testing of the runway to determine the extent of the defects.
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