Ministry ensuring reliable transport system

The Ministry of Transport and Works is mandated with providing and maintaining an efficient, appropriately-designed road infrastructure and reliable transport system that would redound to the social and economic development of the nation.

Centered on this mandate are the development, regulation and maintenance of the road transport and licensing system and the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of a comprehensive road network system.

Public transport is a top priority for the Ministry which in September last year introduced a free bus service on state-owned Transport Board buses for school children, with Minister John Boyce emphasizing that “we want to encourage everyone to use public transport.”

The initiative was hailed as an excellent move by school principals, parents, and social commentators in Barbados as it ensured early arrival at school by the country’s student population and was of great assistance to those parents with more than one school-aged child who may have been finding it difficult to give their children bus fare on a daily basis.

Minister Boyce said that one of Government’s plans will in the future also consider use of ferries and ‘park and ride’ system.

As for the global financial crisis, the Minister of Transport and Works comments: “We are putting new marketing strategies in place to make sure we stay on top of the new challenges to maintaining a vibrant road transport and road construction sector.”

Such strategies include continuing to partner with private-sector agencies as the Ministry plays its part in ensuring that Barbados’s employment statistics remain at a respectable level.

Minister Boyce predicts continued expansion of Barbados’s transport infrastructure in spite of the international crisis. He says: “We are always getting enquiries about new areas to operate on the island.”

Transport Board

“You are in safe hands with us.”

The Transport Board of Barbados plays a major role in improving quality of life for local residents and visitors. Founded in 1955, it now employs around 900 people and operates a fleet of approximately 300 buses that carry passengers throughout the country along more than 100 scheduled bus routes. The Board lives up to its motto, ‘You are in safe hands with us’.

Ian Jessamy, General Manager, explains that a key activity for the Board is providing free transportation for school children to and from approximately 80 schools. The Board also provides free bus service for the elderly, the disabled, and members of the police force in addition to its regular service, which costs only USD 1.50 per ride. The Board also provides airport and seaport shuttle services and chartered bus service.

The Board is becoming increasingly popular among tourists. Jessamy says, “On Sunday afternoons we give a scenic bus tour around the island that starts at Independence Square, and more and more tourists are riding our regular buses instead of taking taxis, to save money.”

Barbados is currently upgrading its public transport system and the Board is playing a major role in this process. Jessamy explains, “We are exploring the idea of reducing trip lengths by using a transfer system which will utilize transfer stations along major highways, and we are working with the government concerning a plan to make Bridgetown a pedestrian area. This can include the creation of a hop-on-and-off service for inner Bridgetown.”

Barbados’s transport sector is overseen by the new Barbados Transport Authority, which is further upgrading transport standards. The sector offers significant investment potential, Jessamy believes. He says, “The government has indicated that it will be looking to partner with corporate Barbados more on capital related projects, and maybe projects in the transport sector could benefit from such initiatives. Barbados is one of the few Caribbean destinations with a historically safe investment environment, good infrastructure, a high literacy rate, friendly people, and a comprehensive system of good corporate governance.”

Black Bess Quarry

“Our reputation for excellence is justified.”

Black Bess Quarry, founded in 1991, now offers a range of products and services, including world-class civil engineering services. The family-owned enterprise has completed projects for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and many other public and private-sector organizations as well as for individual clients, and it is looking to expand regionally. The company has already completed projects in St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Anguilla and Grenada in the Caribbean.

Chairman Roger Manning and Director Wayne Manning point out that Black Bess Quarry is ranked the third-largest civil engineering firm in Barbados and is known for its reliable performance in all types of projects, both large and small. “Our significant repeat business and our long-term associations with several contractors and Government Agencies are proof that our reputation for excellence is justified,” Roger Manning says.

The company’s quarry produces a wide range of aggregates used in Barbados’s construction sector. In addition to its civil engineering services and quarry production, Black Bess Quarry offers equipment rentals and produces concrete blocks in a plant that opened in September 2008. Wayne Manning explains, “The block plant was our final step in being able to provide the full range of products and services for contractors.” The company is also co-founder and shareholder in a ready-mix concrete business.
Focus on the environment
Black Bess is open to forming a joint venture with an international partner, for example concerning waste management. In fact, protecting the environment is a top priority for Black Bess and is essential for Barbados. The Mannings point out, “We have been involved in a lot of clean-up campaigns, and we also assist the Government and Emergency Services in cleaning up the environment. Recycling is something that we know and it is definitely a growth area.”

To potential partners, Wayne Manning adds, “Barbados would be an excellent choice as a regional base for American companies looking to export. Black Bess Quarry has experience and local knowledge as well as great employees. We are very proud of our track record.”

Preconco

“Above all, we believe in service.”

Preconco Limited is Barbados’s specialist in providing innovative, top-quality precast and prestressed concrete products. Launched in 1993 with a staff of eight, Preconco has grown to become a multimillion-dollar operation with over 200 employees. It operates its own state-of-the-art plant in St. Michael and has grown from strength to strength over the last 16 years.

Managing Director Mark Maloney explains, “Preconco is a one-stop shop. We have the most modern equipment in the region, and we stand out as the most reliable precast company in the Caribbean. We are known for offering good value for money.” Preconco’s policy is to acquire the latest technologies in its field, including software, and then to teach its employees to use the technology effectively.

Preconco designs, manufactures, supplies, and installs structural and architectural concrete elements which can be used in numerous applications. Preconco’s extensive product range includes pre-stressed hollow-core slabs, solid pre-stressed slabs, staircases, culverts, columns for landings, wall units, well casings, curbs, and much more. Such products streamline the construction process significantly, saving time and money for customers. In just one example, Preconco’s hollow-core slabs allow for all electrical and plumbing installations to be routed through holes in order to avoid expensive and less aesthetically pleasing surface installation. Preconco now produces over 645,000 sq ft of pre-stressed, hollow-core concrete flooring, and over 4,000 concrete wall panels each year. It has contributed to a number of high-profile projects in Barbados, including Mango Bay, Buccaneer Bay, Colony Club, Turtle Beach Hotel, Rockley Townhouses, Port St. Charles, Mahogany Bay Townhouses, The Crane Hotel, St Peters Bay, Sapphire, Four Seasons, and Palisades, to name a few as well as many other projects throughout the region.

Surpassing customers’ expectations

Preconco focuses on surpassing its customers’ expectations. “We are continuously gaining market share by pursuing excellence, and we always do what it takes to meet our deadlines and satisfy our customers. We have taken on some of the biggest projects in the region and completed them on time while protecting the health and safety of our workers,” Maloney says proudly. A current focus for the company is to expand its business model regionally, and Maloney is in discussions with companies in Surinam, Colombia and other Caribbean islands concerning joint projects. “Our plan is to expand by taking our group of manufacturing companies regionally and beyond, to take what we have developed and introduce the concepts in other developing countries, to help with their needs and help us realize projects in new markets,” he says.

During the current global financial crisis, Preconco aims to keep on building. “If we continue to operate strongly in these tough times when there is no liquidity, we will show our customers that we are strong, and we will reward their confidence by offering better packages,” Maloney says. He adds that Barbados is well-placed to attract investor interest, thanks to its honest, hard-working people, stable government, and excellent infrastructure.

Maloney looks forward to a bright future for Barbados and for Preconco. He says, “Above all, we believe in service. We deliver quality, on time and to budget. Everything Preconco sets out to do, focuses on pleasing the customer. This is the secret of our phenomenal success.”