Workers returning soon to school site
(CNS): Following the announcement by the education minister that the construction management contract on the two public high schools has been awarded to a local consortium of companies, workers are expected to return to the site in significant numbers in a matter of weeks. One local subcontractor said the most important next step in the process was for the new construction manager (CM) to figure out a schedule which will dictate the manning levels at thesite and get people back to work. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly this morning, Rolston Anglin said he expected work at the site to be fully mobilized within 30 days.
Allen Roffey of Caribbean Mechanical congratulated government on finalizing the tender and said he was looking forward to seeing the project back on rack. He said his firm had continued to do a considerable amount of work on the sites during the period since work officially stopped almost one year ago.
The announcement that the Central Tenders Committee had accepted the recommendation of the ministry on the bid from the local company made up of McAlpine, DECCO Ltd and Arch & Godfrey was made in the Legislative Assembly this morning.
The contract was a re-tender and it is worth just under $2.3 million, which the minister said represented the best value for money for government. This contract is awarded following revised plans for the schools project, which will see them finished over a phased period.
The consortium had put in a bid for the original tender but had been one of the most expensive bids. However, at that time the consortium included Hadsphaltic which has since gone into receivership.
With the contract now sorted Anglin said this not only had positive implications for the construction of the two government high schools, it was also good news for the local construction industry. “This award will stimulate the local construction industry, as contracts will be let for various works. It is the intention to sub-contract as many small construction packages as possible, with the aim of maximizing opportunity for the local contractors,” he stated.
He said his ministry, unlike his predecessor, had obligated the contractor to use local subcontractors who employed Caymanians and that the government would be monitoring staff lists of those working on the project to make sure that unemployed Cayman construction workers would be employed.
The Clifton Hunter site in Frank Sound will be the first of the two schools to be completed and the construction manager will assume responsibility for supervising the trade contractors and the day-to-day construction activities at both sites, which will, at that point, be increased to levels necessary to complete the projects. He explained that work at John Gray will focus on particular buildings which educators have prioritized.
Aside from the work undertaken by Caribbean Mechanical and other smaller jobs that have been undertaken to maintain the sites the school projects have been stopped for ten months.
The original general contractor Tom Jones International walked off the job in November 2009. The government is now engaged in what is likely to be an expensive and lengthy legal fight with the contractor. In the first round of the court room battle last month government wholly failed in its attempts to have TJI’s legal claim against it thrown out and was forced to pay costs.
Category: Headline News
I have no doubt that the local triad can do a great job of managing the construction, but have they withdrawn themselves from doing any of the sub-contracting as well?
It would be a shame to see one of them approving their own work while being paid twice by government.
I don’t see how that can possibly matter, when our elected leaders OWN AND MAKE MONEY from construction business’, while at the same time ‘running’ the country.
"The announcement that the Central Tenders Committee had accepted the recommendation of the ministry" Make me wonder why there is a need for the Central Tenders Committee? If a ministry has already decided what is the best value for dollar why have another unnecessary level of bureaucracy? Or is the CTC set up a scapegoat to protect the politicians?
At least people will be back to work, no matter who was awarded the contract.
I think this was an excellent outcome and goes to show what "beauracracies" such as the Tendering process (which the Premier continues to chastise) can yeild. If the CTC had accepted the first recommendation, this contract would have been awarded to a foreign company for over six million dollars.
The writer obviously did not follow the prior bid process. Cayman Construction Management Ltd (CCML) bid 8.5 million to do exactly the same job over a shorter period of time. With the extended time the project general overheads should be much higher.
I believe that Dart and McAlpine are both managed by expats.
I’d like to give a shout out to East End Labor. Let’s hope the consortium, and Caribbean Mechanical Ltd can benefit from the use of good LOCAL labor
If not they’ll be outside the site protesting or pushing over your equipment anyway right?
Only if they aren’t putting down a few beers at 8am!
or maybe pushing you over
I would like to give a shout out to East End Labor – "Oi East End Labour stay out in the East End and stop intimidating people".
On behalf of my company, Caribbean Mechanical (High Schools 2008) Ltd. I would like to offer congratulations to both "The Dream Team" of McAlpine, Decco and Arch & Godfrey and the Ministry upon the award of this important contract.
It’s been a long lonely wait for the gestation of this vital contract to be completed.
We are looking forward to working with you all in the very near future.
Now hopefully, we can get these schools finished for the benefit of the children of the Cayman Is.
Alan Roffey
Chief Executive
Caribbean Mechanical (High Schools 2008) Ltd.
Pick me, pick me!
I don’t know why all the thumbs down for Mr R… you know they were never kicked off the project right? so i doubt they care too much who was appointed as long as they do their job.
uhmmm "andof course for the benefit of my company Caribbean Mechanical (High chool 2008) Ltd. This is like a dreammy dream come true for me to help the children. Thank You, I love you all so much
Dear Anonymous at 09/15/2010 – 21:06.
"uhmmm "and of course for the benefit of my company Caribbean Mechanical (High chool [sic] 2008) Ltd. This is like a dreammy [sic] dream come true for me to help the children. "
My company won these jobs by competitive tender. They were both supposed to be finished by now.
Since September last year, when the arguments between TJI and the Ministry turned nasty, my company has not been able to work at the planned pace in order to make a reasonable profit out of the effort.
Since then we have been working primarily for the benefit of the Ministry, to minimize the delay, and for as many of our employees as possible that we have kept employed, whilst the company’s planned profit has been steadily eroded.
Capitalism is based upon the concept that those that take risks are rewarded, not all of the time, but most of the time.
Those that don’t get the balance between risk and reward right, go out of business.
We could not possibly have foreseen the the risks that we have encountered on these projects and so the original reward doesn’t cover it.
The new and additional risk that my company has taken these last nine months or so is that the Ministry is committed to the completion of the schools, has the money to do it and that we will eventually be fairly compensated for the delay and disruption caused by the termination of the general contractor, something that was outside our sphere of control.
So yes, I agree with you that it ought to be to my company’s benefit, and my employees benefit, that these jobs will now go forward. I’m not going to apologize for that, I’m in business to make a profit. But I can assure you that it has not been a dreamy dream to get here.
If you want to take this discussion further, I’m happy to engage you, but please have the backbone to write in your own name.
Alan Roffey.
I’ll discuss but I sure as hell don’t ‘have the backbone’ to identify myself.
XXXXXX
"Now hopefully, we can get these schools finished for the benefit of the children of the Cayman Is." Or rather for the benefit of a select group of children of the Cayman Islands, since many children are denied their fundamental right of free education in breach of established and binding human rights provisions.
Free education is not a fundamental right. It is an aspirational right that is met according to the country’s available resources.
By the time the schools are finished Part 1 of the Constitution, which contains the qualified right to free education, will be in effect.
Some trying to stir the pot.
Let’s bear in mind that this is only an award of management services.
There are already accepted bids in place for construction, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, landscaping sub-contracts.
This is going to get very interesting from here on in. Are Dart (DECCO) going to honor existing sub-contracts or are they positioning themselves to assume all said sub-contracts? Hmmmmmm. I am not saying it is a bad thing, I am just wondering. The government (people) lose.
Anyone else have any ideas?
I onlyhope Cline Glidden’s company gets a chance to roll in da dough
What will alos be interesting to see is if these schools will need to follow the American curriculam like Dart’s other school at Camana Bay…..
good..Dart deserves it because when he does it he does it PROPERLY!
Well… I think they are getting the message. At least, McAlpine and Arch & Godfrey are not excluded for Dart. A combination of 3 amigos is always good!
Why is Dart all up in our business (the government’s/people’s business)?!?!?!? You mean to tell me they could have awarded the contract to McAlpine and Arch & Godfrey?! Why is the UDP government in bed with Dart?! We going have to rename this place Dart Islands soon, or at the very least Grand Dart Island!!
Because Dart does things well, complete, and on time. End of story.
And where ever he wants!
end of story. wake up
in answer to you question, and to many other questions you may have: $$$$$$$$$$$$$
One day all will be revealed…………………. Some people are getting very rich.
That is not a bad idea. Dart Islands, Grand Dart, Little Dart and Dart Brac. Remember now, you started this.
Well if you have not realised by now, OUR pretty government is a mess! Dart is "up in the government’s/people’s business" because it is blatantly obvious that they don’t have the first clue what they are doing in this case. Thanks to Alden, Dart is the one having to come up from behind to clear up the mess made from his poor decisions in the past.
Dart is looking out for the best interest of these Islands and helping us create a better Cayman. (Not saying that he isn’t looking out for his own pocket as well), but look at what Camana Bay has turned into, a lucrative place for business, entertainment and living! AND locals benfit from it as well! Dart employs many locals and I know because I am familiar with people who work closely with him.
I’m am thrilled that Dart has been granted to be part of this project. Reason being that when Dart does ANYTHING he does it effectively, professionally and RIGHT the first time! He does not throw paint at a blank canvas and gets on his knees to pray that something will become of it. He has a long term plan for what he knows it will become and how it can benefit the people, most importantly locals. He also has the funds to do so (something which our government does not at the moment).
I have also heard through the grapevine that Dart has offered to rebuild the Cayman Catboat Club, AGAIN something which is for the benefit of LOCALS and which will preserve an important element of historical interest! The Catboat Club has been struggling for sponsership to re-do the building so it can be functional to teach a traditional skill and serve as a museum. It would also be another attraction which would encourage tourism. If Dart does take on that project as well we will not have to worry if it is done well or not. We KNOW it will be.
Take your negative, downgrading comments and go elsewhere. It is clear that we need help and if we have someone which has the means and good intentions to do so we need to take it! Our country is on its knees.
Kiveh.