Apr 28, 2017 Source

The APNU+AFC administration is aware of the deficiencies with the estimates being produced by engineers attached to government agencies and ministries, and is working to address same.

State Minister,
Joseph Harmon

This was the assertion of State Minister Joseph Harmon at the government’s weekly post-Cabinet Press Briefing held at the Ministry of Presidency, Georgetown yesterday.Harmon, in responding to questions posed by Kaieteur News, used the opportunity to call on the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) to revisit several aspects that deal with engineers’ competency.He requested that the association “address the matter so that the public can have confidence in the estimates which these engineers provide,”“The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, I know…they are looking at the issue very carefully…Because in awarding contracts, we’re actually seeing where the deficiencies lie.”

Harmon’s remarks would come one day after this publication carried an article captioned, “Red Flags raised over Government engineers’ estimates” which entailed concerns raised by contractors over the competence of government engineers in preparing estimates for state projects.It was contended that all was not right with the Engineers’ Estimates which on many occasions, were way above what contractors were bidding.This was never more evident than last Tuesday, during the opening of tenders for several Government-funded projects, where contractors submitted bids – in some cases, millions of dollars below the announced Engineers’ Estimates.

One contractor had explained that if contractors consistently bid way below the engineer’s estimate, it signals that works can be done at a cheaper cost. It can further be deduced that the engineers’ estimates are not a true reflection of the cost to carry out a project.There have also been known cases in the past where the engineers’ estimates were being deliberately ‘inflated’.Another contractor said, “The engineers are supposed to be looking out for the State’s interest to ensure that we don’t pay contractors way above (what) we can afford. It creates an impression that these engineers are incompetent or worse yet, corrupt,” He added that the “exorbitant” engineers’ estimates make it difficult for contractors to compete.
Minister Harmon added another dimension when he spoke about “the fact” that some contractors request extensions.“The fact that you now have to (request) extensions, and all of these things, speak to.. in very many cases, the competency of the engineer’s estimate which started the project in the first place. So that is a matter which as a Government, we’ve taken on board.” Harmon said.