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Government to re-enter sewage collection tunnel construction sites
The Government has today (Tuesday) issued forfeiture notices with respect to the two tunnel contracts which comprise part of the sewage collection system for SSDS Stage 1.
A Government spokesman said that the decision was made after the deadline set for the contractor to respond had passed without the contractor agreeing unconditionally to resume work.
Between June and July this year, the contractor unilaterally suspended works for the six tunnels under the Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme (SSDS) Stage I after he claimed that the water inflow problems to two tunnels were unexpected and beyond the terms contemplated by the contract.
A number of meetings have been held with the contractor to discuss technical changes and any further impediments for him to proceed with the works but the parties were unable to reach agreement.
The Consulting Engineer issued a warning letter and gave three weeks for the Contractor to rectify the situation. However, the deadline passed without the Contractor agreeing unconditionally to resume work in accordance with the contract. On 23 November, the Consulting Engineer wrote to the Director of Drainage Services certifying that the Contractor had failed to proceed with due diligence to construct the tunnels in accordance with the terms of the contract.
"Given the lengthy stoppage of work and having exhausted all other options, the Government has decided to issue the forfeiture notice and is taking steps to make alternative arrangements for completion of the remaining works," the spokesman said.
added.
"All of the other works on SSDS Stage I are proceeding on schedule," he
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