Gov’t & C.O Williams Discuss “Unreasonable” Cost of Road Repair Project

During the recent Cabinet meeting, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), the Ministry of Works, and a representative from C.O. Williams Construction were invited to address the pressing issues related to the ongoing repair of roadways and the installation of new water pipes.

C.O. Williams Construction, the winning bidder for the repair of Anchorage Road, Fort James Road, and other rural roads in Antigua, initially quoted XCD63.49 million for the project.

However, due to increased material costs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and weather-related delays, the contractor has requested an increase in the project cost.

The government’s consultant has reviewed the cost escalation and deemed a portion of it unreasonable, leading to ongoing discussions between the government and the contractor to reach a fair resolution.
On the water infrastructure front, APUA provided an update stating that the water plant at Ffryes is anticipated to be operational by December 2024.

Once completed, the plant is expected to contribute an additional 2 million gallons of water to the island’s daily supply.

The Director of Public Works acknowledged the responsibility for the state of disrepair of the roads, emphasizing the need for additional operational machines.

Currently, only one barber-green machine is operational, but efforts are underway to repair additional machines to resume construction work.

The Director also stressed the requirement for at least two more engineers with design skills to effectively address the infrastructure challenges.

The meeting concluded with plans being agreed upon for preventative maintenance.