Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham, Minister of the Environment the Hon Earl Deveaux and National Security Minister the Hon. Tommy Turnquest are pictured chatting with reporters during a tour of the Nassau Harbour project, Friday, November 20.
Nassau, Bahamas – Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work on the Nassau Harbour and Arawak Cay projects during a tour on Friday.
“We are not oftentimes able to say that a public sector contract has been completed in time, on budget, efficiently and effectively,” said the Prime Minister.
“This is the second occasion that we have had to award a contract to a Dutch company, the first of which was the construction of the second bridge going to Paradise Island and on both occasions they have performed exceptionally, provided excellent service and were most responsive.
“Notwithstanding the little challenges that we have in our bureaucracy in responding to projects they were able to achieve this objective although during one week of this contract they had to take their dredger to Freeport, Grand Bahama. Happily and luckily for us they were able to take it out of the water and cause it to be repaired and to return it here notwithstanding they are completing ahead of schedule.”
The Hon Earl Deveaux, Minister of the Environment and the Hon Tommy Turnquest, Minister of National Security along with media representatives joined the Prime Minister on the three-hour tour.
Boskalis International BV, and sub contractor American Bridge Bahamas have been contracted to dredge 1.9 million cubic yards of material from Nassau Harbour, install three mooring dolphins at Prince George Wharf and install steel sheetpiles along the existing alignment of Arawak Cay extending it from 100 aces to 144 acres.
The harbour project is being carried out to accommodate the new mega Genesis Class Cruise ships ‘Oasis of the Seas’ which is expected in Nassau on December 11 on its maiden voyage.
The dredged material is to be used for projects including fill for the development at the Lynden Pindling International Airport, the New Providence Road Improvement project and the New Providence landfill.
Project manager for Boskalis International Frans Thomassen described the project as an ambitious one for his company. “We had our ups and downs, yet we are meeting our target. We are going to complete by the end of this month where dredging works are concerned.
“We are also on schedule where the dolphin works are concerned. We will pour concrete next week Monday well ahead of December 11th when the Oasis arrives. The Government has constructed a design to implement three dolphins and one dolphin is essential for the Oasis to tie up to because it is about 1100 feet, which is a Genesis class ship.
“We are very proud to participate in this contract and very grateful to have the Prime Minister on site to view the preliminary works,” said Mr Thomassen.
