In an interview with Portafolio, Camilo Baracaldo, legal representative of the Providencia consortium, of which the construction companies Amarilo, Bolívar and Marval are part, told in detail if the controversy over $600 million homes was true. In addition, Baracaldo spoke of factors that affect prices and the reason for the delays in the delivery of the houses of the islanders.
(Read: Fiscal findings for $2,170 million in Providencia: Comptroller).
What role does the consortium play in Providencia?
The Providencia consortium is made up of Amarilo, Bolívar and Marval, acting as agent, as delegated administrator free of charge, which means that according to government statistics, they are the ones that build the most homes in the territory.
Therefore our role is that of builders, executors. We are not designers, nor in charge of the agreement with the community that occurred, we do not control costs, nor are the auditors.
Why do the houses have such different specifications? Why is the door a material, does it have certain specifications or not? These are the negotiations reached by the Government with the Raizal community. Why are they colored? Because the Raizal community requested them that way. Why the railings? Because the community requested them, why the windows in that position? Because the community asked for them that way.
Bearing this in mind… Is a home in Providencia worth an average of $600 million?
It costs more than $600 million, the president was partially informed. We are asking to be heard by the Government.
The houses that are still in execution are exceeding $640 million pesos.
What affects that price? The materials?
Mainly steel, the logistical issue, that is, our houses, which are 330, have galvanized steel, and they are safe houses in all their areas and they are not houses as the president was unfortunately misinformed.
(Keep reading: ABC of the controversy over cost overruns in works in Providencia).
They were not houses of 60 or 70 m2, they are houses of 111 m2, in addition they are not of social interest, the community demanded houses of larger dimensions in area and with certain finishes. Of the total 208 homes have 111 m2, and 122 have 84 m2.
And on the logistics issue?
Due to the stoppages that occurred in 2021, due to the delays in maritime transport in Cartagena, with longer disembarkation times at a small dock that was also an operation where the entire project was moved, not just the 330 homes.
Also, the labor that of course we had to pay for. A person must arrive on the island and be separated from his family for months, you have to pay for food, hydration, lodging, basic sanitation.
When should the houses be delivered?
It all started with a declaration of 100 days, as of that date we had not signed a contract (…) However, we currently have a work schedule for October 16, 2022.
What do they say about the housing failures that the Comptroller’s Office warned about?
We activate policies and seek the change of the contractor or partial agreements for the issues of railings and windows.
(Also: Response of former Duke officials to Petro for works in Providencia).
Regarding the plating, we are already repairing it. We are attending to this with our own assets.
Paula Galeano Balaguera
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