Public Works Minister Craig Cannonier has confirmed that Government has paid out $357,097.50 to a Canadian owned company contracted to stabilize the existing rock slopes at Black Watch Pass.

Responding to questions by Opposition MP Walter Roban, the Minister also confirmed that the company – Cimota Incorporated, has seven employees, who are all non-Bermudian. When questioned further by Opposition Leader David Burt, Mr Cannonier said there were no Bermudians employed by the company.

The Minister told MPs on Friday that “all of the specialized work is being completed by Cimota Inc. All fencing and shotcrete will be done by local contractors. But he said: “We do not have the total number at this time, and will provide the information as soon as it is available.”

Mr Roban also asked for the total cost of renovations to the Seniors Centre at Admiralty House. Mr Cannonier said that project cost tax payers $27,750.44.

When asked for the total cost of all road works from January 1 to April 30, 2017, the Minister said more than $2.8 million was spent within that period. The exact figure released in the Lower House was $2,813,000 for “an array of work”.

That work included repairs that were scheduled and work that resulted from “issues that came up that were not scheduled”. When asked to respond to “the impression” that the road works were being done due to the America’s Cup, the Minister replied: “Certainly not.”

The Black Watch Pass project was put out to tender to experienced contracting companies in December for “scaling of the rock cut including the removal of loose soil, rock, and overburden from behind the crest of the slope, the slope face, benches on the slope and installing rock bolts.

Contractors were also asked to provide “sufficient information to demonstrate their technical and financial capability to complete the works, in accordance with the specification and contract drawings”. The deadline for submissions was January 25, 2017.

Responding to a separate set of questions submitted by Opposition MP Michael Weeks, the Minister also issued the following on the number of kilometers of Public Roads that have been paved from 2011 to date:

  • 2011/12:  4.7km
  • 2012/13:  6.7km
  • 2013/14:  8.1km
  • 2014/15:  3.3km
  • 2015/16:  3.3km
  • 2016/17: 10.km
  • 2017/18:  3.67km to date