[www.inewsguyaan.com] – The Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) has completed construction of the eight sluice gates and accompanying guides for the Atlantic end of the Hope Canal which is currently under construction on the East Coast Demerara.
The GNIC in a press release noted that the completely stainless steel sluice gates were constructed in the company’s Shipyard located on Lombard St. within the prescribed two-month contract deadline.
According to GNIC’s CEO, Clinton Williams, the delicate construction was completed under the close supervision of Gilbert B.M. Corlette, a highly certified and very experienced welding/fabrication Quality Assurance Engineer. The gates and guides have been ready to be transported to their intended locations since the beginning of August.
GNIC was sub-contracted earlier this year by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to construct the sluice doors and the guides that will facilitate their smooth vertical movement when the US$15M Hope Canal project goes into operation to alleviate flooding in the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary (MMA) areas.
Mr. Williams pointed out that the GNIC Shipyard is well equipped for a wide range of construction works, for ship building, ship repairs and maintenance of riverain and ocean-going vessels of all categories. For decades, the company, formerly the GNEC, has been working in collaboration with the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).
On various occasions GNIC was called upon to do major structural repairs to the T&HD ferries, tugs, barges and other motor vessels including privately owned ones that ply Guyana’s rivers and tributaries.
He however, lamented “the pervasive, unchecked emergence of ship repair facilities” on the Parika Beach, East Bank Essequibo and in Berbice. He said that for years the presence of these smaller slips has had an adverse effect on the number of jobs coming to GNIC. In recent times, the company lost out on tendered Docking and Repair works on the Lady Northcote and the MV Makouria, as well as the supply of spare parts for T&HD vessels despite having submitted the lowest bids.
The company’s management is now concerned about this apparent subtle blacklisting of their drydock.
More recently, GNIC was declared the lowest bidder for a number of contracts for structural repairs to the MV Malali and the ML Thompson, and to fabricate Unifloat Pontoons and buoys for the bridges in the Amaila Falls Road Project and for the Demerara Harbour Bridge. GNIC also submitted the lowest bid for fabrication of 30 pairs of Connecting Posts for the Harbour Bridge and is currently awaiting the announcement of contract awards.
