Ascension : LINKS WEST HOUSING ESTATE
Submitted by The Islander (Gavin Yon) 23.03.2005 (Article Archived on 06.04.2005)

Everyone on the Island will now be aware that the erection process of the Links West Housing Estate how been suspended,

Everyone on the Island will now be aware that the erection process of the Links West Housing Estate how been suspended, but what most people will not know is the reason why, I will try to explain the reason behind this suspension however, because of the negotiations with the supplier of the units I will not be able to go into to much detail.

On the 11^th of February 2005 I as the works manager discussed with the Administrator my concerns over the quality of certain items of material supplied for the housing units, I recommended to the Administrator that the erection process of the housing units be suspended until such time as that we had held meetings with the supplier and had received reassurances that the supplier would rectify the defects at no cost to Government.

On the 21^st of February 2005 both myself and Mr. Roy Drinkwater held a meeting in London UK with the Chairman of the Company supplying the housing units, during this meeting the AIG requested certain understandings from the supplier and we where assured that the supplier would rectify all defective material at no additional cost to the Ascension Island Government, obviously for contractual reasons I can not state what was fully discussed at the meeting until such time that all points have been rectified.

Because the Links West project is probably the highest profile project on the Island at this time the decision was made to continue with the mains Mechanical and Electrical Services to the site, this includes, 1. Water 2. Electrical Supply 3. Sewage and 4. Telecoms. We are also replacing the existing septic tank with a new this will then alleviate the foul smell that is being emitted from the existing tank.

We are now hoping to see on the April’s MoD Ship all of the replacement material this will then allow works to continue, we are also expecting to see representatives of the supplier back on the Island in April to assist in the erection of the housing units.

John Anthony Gilmore

Dip. ProjMan, MAPM, IEng, ACIBSE

Works Manager