Construction company Kall Co has disassociated itself from responsibility for the “failure” of three retaining walls built along Paria Main Road, in Matelot.
In a press release yesterday, Kall Co responded to an article in Monday’s T&T Guardian headlined —Villagers Angry over Shoddy Work-On the Edge in Matelot.
Residents had claimed that the construction firm had failed three times to build a proper retaining wall.
As a contractor, Kall Co stated that they are obligated to construct any works in accordance with designs supplied by the Government through any of its agencies or consultants.
In the case of a design/build contract, Kall Co stated the designs are done by the contractor but supervised by the client’s engineer.
Kall Co stated that no phase of this project represented a design/build contract.
“Kall Co is aware that tenders have been invited for shoreline stabilisation works along the coastline immediately below this project site,” and joined Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan in endorsing the theory that the erosion of the coastline immediately below the site of the retaining wall project, was the cause of the failures of the roadway at this site.
In the article, Sinanan defended Kall Co’s position stating that the contractor completed the work they were hired to do.
Sinanan also stated that the ministry’s engineers said it was not the contractor’s fault.
“To the extent that Kall Co has been engaged in these works, it has always been with the understanding that the works were of a temporary nature, designed as an interim stabilization measure, until such time that a permanent solution could be designed and constructed. This would require, firstly, that the coast below be stabilised against any future coastal erosion, such as has now been tendered for construction,” the release stated.