Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 22, 2018 News
Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) was recently awarded a contract by the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the fabrication of 40 buoys and has finished the construction in record time.
The contract for fabrication was signed between the two parties in May and commenced days later. GNIC was obligated under the contract to complete the contract in six weeks but was able to do it in four.
Kaieteur News understands that the buoys were constructed according to the specification, quality assurances and drawings in the contract, which was approved by Harbour Bridge engineers.
The buoys are used as a safety measure for the Harbour Bridge and part of the anchorage device for the bridge’s pontoons.
Kaieteur News understands that GNIC had tendered for a much larger project, which involved pontoons for the Harbour Bridge but it was awarded to GNIC’s competition. According to GNIC officials, the shipping company was the lowest bidder for the $262M project. GNIC’s bid was $219M while its competition was $249M.
On this note, officials expressed concern with the fact that it is never given an opportunity to respond to queries about its bid before the award of the contract. The officials said, too, that they are never informed of the reasons why their tenders are rejected by the agency. They noted that this is provided for in the bidding process. Notwithstanding this, GNIC officials said that they continue to respond to all bid requests by the agency. They are hoping that this situation might improve in the future.
In the meantime, GNIC has entered into a contract with the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated, to provide similar repairs and services. So far, works have been done on one pontoon to the satisfaction of the company. GNIC said it is awaiting another.
OTHER SECTORS
GNIC has been quietly making quite a significant contribution to the Guyanese Maritime/Logistics Services and Sectors.
According to GNIC’s CEO, Clinton Williams, the entity has been celebrated for its unmatched capacity to build and repair Ocean-going and Riverain Vessels which include Coastal Trawlers, Cargo Boats, Tug Boats, Passenger Ferries, Pilot Launches, and Deck and Towing Barges. These are only some of the multitude of Marine Vessels built and repaired with the well-tested skills of GNIC’s Technicians and Engineers.
SECURITY SECTOR
Williams noted that the current Dual Purpose Prison Launch ML TROY ‘W’ (as was the previous vessel ML Godfrey ‘J’) was designed and fabricated by GNIC for the Guyana Prison Service Authority in record time within international specifications/standards for less than 50% the price for such a vessel in the international market.
The construction of the ML Troy Passenger Cargo Vessel for the Guyana Prison Service commenced in May, last year and was handed over to the Guyana Prison Service on Saturday last. The Twin Screw Passenger-Cargo Vessel has been designed for harbour and riverain service in Guyana.
It has accommodation for 80 passengers above the Main Deck as well as 60-ton cargo space below main deck forward of the engine room. It contains three watertight bulkheads, which divides the hull in four compartments.
According to Williams, GNIC had earlier fabricated and assembled three 1500-ton Cement Bulk Storage Silos for TCL Guyana Inc., which was only recently refurbished also by GNIC at the request of TCL this year.
As for the agriculture sector, Williams said that GNIC recently fabricated and assembled the Stainless Steel Sluice being utilized for irrigation and flood control purposes for the East Demerara Water Conservancy.
He said that during last year, GNIC fabricated and delivered a new batch of four Pontoons for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (East Demerara Water Conservancy), which are being utilized by the Ministry of Agriculture under the World Bank Funded Flood Control Programme.
Williams said, “We are in the process of constructing a Barge (96Ft x 26Ft) and supplying two excavators together with a Suction Cutter Dredge to dredge all the Outfalls along the Coastline and the Rivers.”
For Agriculture and Sugar in particular, Williams said that a number of punts have been manufactured and delivered to GuySuCo, repairs and maintenance to GuySuCo Pontoons have also been done along with works on Molasses Storage Tanks and Fishing Trawlers.
MARITIME/MINING/ ENERGY
As regards Maritime Transportation Sector, significant inputs have been made with respect to Drydocking, Ship Repairs and Maintenance to Government Ferries, The Suction Hopper Dredge Steve ‘N’, Pilot Launches, GDF Patrol Crafts and Demerara Harbour Bridge Pontoons, etc.
For the Mining and Quarrying Sector, the GNIC CEO said that there has been the provision of Tugs and Barges for Inland Transportation and Logistics apart from Off Loading, Storage and Delivery of Bulk, Break Bulk and Containerized Cargo allowing for efficient project execution and production operation thereafter such as Guyana Goldfields.
In energy, he revealed that GNIC was responsible for the design and fabrication of Fuel Storage Tanks for Guyoil and other sectors as well.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Williams noted that Technical and Vocational Skill Development and Training in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training where skill sets were generated in the areas of Welding and Fabrication, Electrical Installation, Fitting and Machining is part of the company’s contribution to poverty alleviation and the empowerment of vulnerable youths viz: school drop-outs and those from depressed communities.
“This is quite apart and distinct from Cargo Handling, Stevedoring and Storage for Import and Export Cargo as Agency Representative for various International Shipping Lines.”
“With respect to the way forward, we are continuously engaging a number of vendors and service providers in the Oil and Gas Sector with a view to expand our services by Logistics and Storage for Pipes, other repairs and maintenance, on-shore facility for Supply Crafts between the Oil Rigs and the Land Base Operations.”
Williams said that GNIC believes that the movement in this direction will prove to be beneficial not only by expanding the company’s contribution to national development but also by providing increased employment through a new range of services for these Sectors.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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