Clerk of works absentees

27.FEB.09

Editor: A stitch in time saves nine. With the global recession as it is, it’s time for our government to take a good look at its expenditure and what it gets in return for work and labour done.{{more}}

Sir, there are many small road contractors working in S.V.G govt, but they have little or no experience in working concrete and road building.

There are many road gangs out there who do not know what is a 1-2-3 mix; they only know mixes by barrows, neither do they know about the amount of water or density of concrete and the strength of it in P.S.I. They cast concrete on roads without any vibrating. They just mix it soft and let it run with the flow. Also, not much attention is paid to the depth of concrete. Some places are 3 inch, some 4”, some 21/2” in a 6” slab. B.R.C is left on the bottom of the cast; it is seldom raised off the base.

Next, they do not know or seem to know the difference between a contraction joint or constructing joint and where a dowel should be used and which end should be stationary and which one should be moved.

There is no clerk of works to visit these projects to ensure they follow the rules.

Mr. Minister, please employ C.O.W on these jobs. It will pay off in the future. Even the larger firms are not giving what they are paid for with taxpayers money.

Ex-Road & Bridge Builder