Preparatory work is finally under way for the proposed multi-purpose sugar factory at Andrews, St Joseph.
Inter-Sugar Partnership Limited (ISP), the Caribbean-based advisor of international private/public partnership (PPP) projects, earlier this year signed a legal memorandum with the government of Barbados to proceed with the cane industry restructuring project (CIRP).
Yesterday, Chairman of ISP Anthony DaSilva, alongside Chief Operating Officer Ian Rogers, afforded members of the media a tour of the facility explaining what the first stage will entail.
“This is the first stage of the project – site preparation work, getting ready for the main demolition activity. We started the end of June when the Inter-Sugar Partnership received the site from government, and we handed it over to Innotech Services Limited who are doing the actual demolition contract … in preparation for the actual project.
“We are taking all of the internal non-structural items out before we start taking down the actual enclosed structure, because it is the safest way and there are also elements within the plant which the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) require for spares for the Portvale Factory.
“What is being proposed here will be the largest construction project every built in Barbados,” DaSilva expressed of the new facility, which government previously revealed will not exceed the USD $270 million price tag.
Currently, there are four teams hard at work throughout the factory on this phase ,which is expected to take five to six months, the Chief Operating Officer noted.
However, he said that more workers are being sought, particularly those former Barbados Agricultural Management Company employees who worked at the Andrews Sugars Factory.
Rogers also pointed out that some of the buildings on the St Joseph site will be retained, which includes the cane yard, which will be refurbished.
He also highlighted that the construction of this multi-purpose facility will harness modern technology to produce products and by-products, which will all have a substantial contribution to the island’s overall economy, such as increased production of molasses for the Barbados rum industry; and generation of green electricity fuelled by cane bagasse and sustainable locally produced biomass. (TL)
