PUBLIC URGED TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH SURVEYORS AHEAD OF MAJOR ROAD WORK

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 02, 2019 (SKNIS): Residents between Cayon and Saddlers or persons within structures 100 yards away from the centre of the island’s main road are encouraged to cooperate fully with representatives of the Public Works Department (PWD) and Surrey Paving and Aggregate Co. Ltd as they conduct a Property Condition Survey.

The survey is being executed prior to the start of Phase 2 of the Island Main Road Rehabilitation Project. This will help to determine when and where the vibration feature of the heavy roller will be used. Letters have already been dispatched to persons in the area from the PWD that identify four specific officers from Surrey Paving and Aggregate Surrey Co. Ltd who are carrying out the survey.

PWD Engineer, George Gilbert, spoke about the survey process during an interview on Monday, (April 01, 2019).

“We will be evaluating the structural condition of all of the properties along that corridor,” he said. “What we will be doing is looking for cracks in and out of your premises and then we will make a note, prepare a database, and then at the end of the project if a householder complains that they received excessive cracking from the work, we will actually go and look at it and then make a determination.”

Mr. Gilbert encouraged residents to pay particular attention to the surveyors as they are required to present valid picture identification before being allowed on the property. The name on the l.D. should correspond with one of the names listed in the letter from PWD. Once satisfied, persons are asked to cooperate fully with the surveyors.

“I can recall in Phase 1, we had an incident where a householder gave permission to come on her premises, [to] go around her building, look at her building but she said you cannot go inside the building,” he said. “But after the work was completed she called and said she has cracks on the inside. Now how do you make a determination in that case? It makes it very difficult for us so we are urging the public to cooperate with us and to allow us to look at the structural integrity of the building before and if necessary after the construction work.”

Where there is credible evidence of damage, persons will be entitled to some form of compensation. In locations where there are significant structural cracks to properties in the area, Mr. Gilbert stated that the contractor will turn off the vibration feature of the roller to prevent additional damage to the structure.