A geotechnical survey was never undertaken at Dockyard’s Heritage Wharf because of the tight schedule for cruise ship arrivals, Government has revealed.Shadow Environment Minister Michael Fahy charged that the project had been “rushed”, as the pier continued to take fire from the Opposition.Heritage Wharf has come under renewed criticism following last month’s announcement that its $4.1 million thruster wall, intended to protect the surrounding waters at the East End from the effects of cruise ships, was being taken down instead of repaired.The wall cracked during 2010’s Hurricane Igor.In reply to Parliamentary Questions posed by Senator Fahy, Progressive Labour Party Senator Jonathan Smith said a geotechnical survey had not been conducted at Heritage Wharf “due to the critical timeline for completion of construction for the arrival of the maiden cruise ship visit in early May 2009”.Such a survey would have resulted in the cruise ship pier missing the date, Sen Smith added.Responded Sen Fahy: “Surely a date should have been set for the first cruise ship only after all studies were undertaken?”Sen Smith’s replies indicated that a topographic survey had been made before construction at the site, and a bathymetric survey took place during the early phase of Heritage Wharf.He replied: “Additionally, the Ministry of Public Works survey section maintains a substantial amount of geotechnical data, including subsurface material hardness and tensile strength of the Bermuda platform, obtained from various surveys and studies previously completed.”However, Sen Fahy questioned whether such data was “site specific at Dockyard for the area which was constructed”.He continued: “This is cause for very serious concern and demonstrates to us that the project was rushed. The answer is clear: the time required for a full geotechnical report would have resulted in missing the date.”Calling the survey “very important”, the One Bermuda Alliance senator noted that reports before construction had recommended a full survey of the area before construction.Sen Fahy also said it had “always seemed strange that the project came under the remit of Transport rather than Works and Engineering”.OBA candidate for Sandys North Ray Charlton, who has criticised Heritage Wharf on environmental grounds, declared himself “not at all surprised” by Government’s response.“This seems to be the modus operandi of Government — to go full steam ahead and have the environment as the last thing considered,” he said. “This applies to safety aspects as well.”Mr Charlton added that a request by the Department of Planning for a five-year environmental impact assessment of Heritage Wharf, as a condition of its acceptance of the project, had subsequently been overturned by Government.Announcing that the thruster wall was being removed, Public Works Minister Michael Weeks said in April that the Department of Environmental Protection would monitor the area as the thruster wall comes down, for any impact on the surroundings.The wall is currently being dismantled by marine contractors Crisson Construction Limited, and its materials are intended for use in other construction projects.