Local construction company, BK International Incorporation today inked a contract with China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHECL) for the supply of stones for the expansion works at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
CHECL is the company tasked with executing the expansion works and had previously shared plans to purchase stones from Grassalco, a Surinamese Company.
The signing today.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson noted that the decision to import stones from the Surinamese company had sparked some serious protests by local companies.
Minister Patterson explained that the Ministry is currently in consultation with the Ministry of Business, and it was agreed that BK International Incorporated is the most qualified of local companies, and will be supplying 50,000 tonnes of stones for the expansion project.
CJIA is also assessing other companies, including Metallica Incorporated as an additional supplier of stones for the project.
Today too the Ministry of Public Infrastructure held its second full site visit and updated the media on the CJIA) expansion project. The project is still on schedule for the December 2017 deadline despite several challenges with removal of utilities, officials confirmed.
During the tour, it was discovered that the North East end of the runway is more compact and elevated than the South West runway because the vibrofloation (a ground improvement technique used at a considerable depth that by using a powered electrically or hydraulically probe, it strengthens the soil) process is completed on the North East side of the runway.
It was also discovered that works are moving apace on the temporary terminal building and the new checking hall for passengers.
The project is being executed by a team made up of 311 employees. The US$138M contract for the project was signed on November 11, 2011 between the government and CHECL.