A public disagreement between St. Lucia’s primary electricity provider and a construction contractor has brought to light critical issues concerning infrastructure project management and cost accountability. Gilroy Pultie, Managing Director of St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC), has publicly addressed concerns raised by Rayneau Gajadhar, the contractor for the Norbert Road Rehabilitation Project, who accused the utility company of insufficient cost transparency and public safety negligence.
The controversy emerged when Gajadhar claimed his team proceeded with construction after LUCELEC declined four formal requests for a detailed breakdown of a $554,878.86 estimate for relocating electrical infrastructure. In response, Pultie defended the company’s pricing methodology, explaining that LUCELEC employs standardized procedures aligned with international standards and best practices.
Pultie emphasized the company’s fiduciary responsibility to manage costs prudently, noting that unnecessary cost absorption could ultimately impact consumer electricity tariffs. “Costs associated with relocating power lines for road works should properly be treated as project expenses borne by the government, relevant agencies, or contractors,” Pultie stated.
The estimated costs cover substantial work including the relocation of 21-25 electrical poles and sections of the existing distribution network. Pultie acknowledged the need for improved stakeholder coordination in future projects, stating: “Going forward, projects like this require more responsible management through enhanced planning and coordination among all stakeholders to prevent public safety hazards from occurring.”
Despite the tension, constructive dialogue continues between LUCELEC, the contractor, and the Ministry of Infrastructure overseeing the project. Recent discussions have yielded additional cost breakdowns, with expectations that the Ministry will provide feedback within days. The costing estimates were developed using updated technical specifications including road profiles, landowner information, and civil works designs to ensure safe repositioning of electrical infrastructure.
LUCELEC reaffirms its commitment to supporting the safe and efficient completion of the Norbert Road relocation works while maintaining its standardized costing approach for infrastructure projects.