Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has responded to concerns surrounding the Norbert Road Rehabilitation Project, assuring the public that safety and transparency remain central to its operations.
This comes after the contractor undertaking works on the Norbert Road, Rayneau Gajadhar, attributed work delays to LUCELEC’s reluctance to provide detailed cost estimates.
Managing Director Gilroy Pultie emphasised that the company adheres to strict procurement and construction standards.
“We use best practice procurement practices and we construct to international standards. In addition to that, we have over the years developed standard unit rates for materials and labour and that is applied consistently for all jobs,” he said.
Pultie explained the rationale behind the project’s costs, noting that careful cost management is essential.
“The company also has a responsibility to manage its costs very prudently, otherwise it could translate to the tariff and one can always argue that LUCELEC can absorb these costs and we can, but if we were to absorb the costs, it would be a cost that we have to pass on to the consumers. Costs like the relocation of lines associated with roadworks should be treated and passed on to the government or the agency or the contractor as part of the project.”
Highlighting the need for better collaboration, Pultie added, “Projects like this need to be managed going forward more responsibly, and what I mean by that is that there needs to be more planning and coordination amongst all the stakeholders, including LUCELEC, to avoid situations like this where our infrastructure becomes hazards to the public. That should never happen again, and LUCELEC will do all in its power to ensure that this is avoided going forward.”
The Norbert Road is the most reliable secondary road in the Gros Islet traffic corridor. The rehabilitation is intended to make the road more motorable.
Pultie addressed disputes over the project’s cost, saying:
“It is a fact that we provided a total cost to the contractor and he questioned the cost, he said it was very high and had requested a breakdown of the cost. Over the last week or two we have been in discussion with the ministry responsible for the project and the contractor regarding the costing of the project. We have subsequently provided a further breakdown of the cost and it is under discussion. We expect that the ministry will accept what we have provided and provide that feedback in the next day or two following which we will move on the project.”
LUCELEC maintains that adherence to international standards and proactive coordination are key to delivering projects safely and efficiently, with minimal risk to the public.