|
After much controversy and the loss of approximately $40M, another $20M has been paid for the infrastructural works, as the construction of the Doppler Radar Tower at Timehri is nearing completion.The project is being funded by the European Union, but the Government had undertaken the infrastructural works at the construction site for the radar.Despite the loss of the first $40M during the initial construction, which had taken place in the wrong location, the money for the infrastructural works for the second location still had to be funded by the Government of Guyana.To date, some 63 percent of the total works at the new location has been completed.But even as works are moving apace to have the centre commissioned by the end of the year, the prevailing rainfall during the past two months has affected construction to some extent.However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the minor delays experienced are not foreseen to affect the completion date of the project.Last week, a team of technical officers, along with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, visited the site to inspect ongoing works.It was during this meeting that the contractor was urged to ensure that the tower is completed on time.The foundation, external walls and surface water drains have so far been completed. Apart from the fifth floor, all other floors have been completed.It is anticipated that, with the arrival of Base Ring for the Radome, level five will be completed by Monday. The Base Ring is the metal fixture which forms the concrete-to-metal connection between the top floor (level five) and the dome for the radar.By the end of October, the radar equipment is anticipated to be installed. The installation process will take about six weeks.Last year June, Kaieteur News reported that the construction of the building to house the Doppler weather system was too close to the airport’s Very High Frequency Omni Range (VOR), thus causing disruption.It was stressed that once the wrong reading is transmitted to an aircraft, it could throw the pilot off course, with serious consequences.On July 12 last year, Head of the Lands and Survey Department, Andrew Bishop,Gerard Gumbau Barcelona Jersey, had stated that a new site was determined for the building.Shortly after the mistake was discovered, an investigation was launched into the reported negligence. As a consequence, a director from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority was fired.The Office of the President subsequently took over the investigation. Just before that move, President Bharrat Jagdeo had announced that the incident was not going to ‘slide under the carpet just like that.’The project is funded by the European Union to the tune of $596M, and is being implemented by the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation.The Government of Guyana has allocated $50 million for electricity, water and road works to the radar tower. Upon completion, the Doppler radar will be used to provide continuous real-time radar surveillance up to 400 kilometres out, and will help forecasters define with greater accuracy the areas where severe weather is likely to form, identify the characteristic patterns indicating a high probability of severe thunderstorms, and improve forecasting time, intensity and location of heavy precipitation. |
|