HDC to demolish two $26m housing projects

 

Construction began in December 2008 and was completed in January  2010 but after two years there is structural damage to the buildings. An investigation by Geotech Associates between November and December 2010 attributed the damage to the unstable land under the buildings.“I want to put it in public record. I came in (at the HDC) only in November 2009,” John said in an attempt to distance herself from any possible blame for the present problems. Walls on the buildings are cracking, windows have broken off, plaster is peeling and the buildings seem on the verge of collapse. A large sign on the structure warned: “Restricted Area. Please Do Not Enter.” A road leading to the buildings also was cracked and broken. Another $3.3 million is to be forked out by the Government to pay Don Ramdeen Transport Ltd to demolish the buildings, starting Thursday. It is expected to last three to four months. Further, more money was spent when the HDC, in a bid to salvage the buildings, commissioned structural assessment reports by three engineering consultants when cracks began to appear, John said. An $11 million proposal was put forward but there was no guarantee that it would prevent further damage to the buildings, she said.

 

So who’s to blame? Geotech Associates director, Malcolm Joab, who was  also present at the site yesterday, said: “That’s a good question.” He said in October 2008, Geotech did a sub-soil report and the soil was deemed adequate to begin construction. John added it was the result of a natural phenomenon that could not have been predicted. She said the HDC would try to salvage as much as possible from the buildings, including windows, cupboards and other furnishings that were not damaged. HDC divisional manager, project management, Allan Cunningham, said tests have been done on other buildings in the development, which have showed no structural danger, thus far.  He said they would continue to monitor the situation. Manager of Jiangsu International, Jianguo Yang, said it was a natural land movement that caused the failure of the structure. “It was no fault of the contractor,” he added. He said soil tests done before construction gave them the green light for construction. Yang said, under the circumstances, demolition was the best way to go since the land kept moving and the situation posed a serious risk to the buildings and residents.