Aubrey Barker Road mishap: Jagdeo says ‘credible explanations, consequences’ needed

Days after several Guyana Power and Light (GPL) poles collapsed along the Aubrey Barker Road, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said the government is demanding credible explanations about how the mishap unfolded.

And he vowed that there would be consequences for any person- be it a contractor, supervisor or public servant- found defaulting.

The poles reportedly fell as a consequence of ongoing road and drainage works. Several stakeholders mobilised to address the issue but residents and businesspersons were substantially impacted, many without power for a day.

Jagdeo said mistakes happen but this was no ordinary accident.

“These poles that were moved there, from the wooden poles to concrete poles, were moved out of the pathway to expand the road… I am told they were not laid according to specifications,” Jagdeo said.

According to him, the mishap demonstrates some fault whether on the part of the contractors and their design team, or the persons who supervised the work. The Vice President complained that such lapses- that is, unsatisfactory work- are becoming increasingly frequent and emphaissed that the government must act.

“Public Works and GPL have to give credible explanations because I am going to be on their case until we get to the bottom of this,” he said.

The Vice President added, “It’s time that we start terminating people who did not complete their work and who were paid by the government to supervise the work.”