Equipment intended to scan containers coming in and out of the Island will likely not be in place until next year, according to the Corporation of Hamilton.

During a Corporation meeting yesterday, City Engineer Patrick Cooper said the project had hit delays because Immigration had not yet given permits for engineers to work on a sewage system, part of which is under the proposed X-ray site.

"We have had requests in Customs since March, and there has been some delay," said Mr. Cooper. "We spoke with Immigration in a meeting this week and I've been having weekly phone calls with them, but we haven't been able to survey the site yet.

"Based on our estimates, we don't believe the project will be finished by the end of 2010."

Mr. Cooper told Corporation officials that the proposed site for the equipment was directly above a part of the city's sewage system.

"If there is damage to the system, it could send sewage flowing into the harbour," Mr. Cooper said. "We had contacted this firm because they are the ones who had installed the system. They already have the schematics.

"We are using local engineers when possible, but quite frankly we are really the only area that has a gravity sewage system, so we really do not have enough work on the Island to have local specialists."

The scanning equipment, a $2.6 million X-ray scanning system, was intended to be up and running before the end of the year.

It has been widely hoped to help stem the flow of guns and drugs to the Island by allowing Customs officers to scan every container.

Chief Operating Officer for the Corporation Ed Benevides stressed the importance of the engineers in the multimillion dollar construction project.

"With any technical and complex project of this nature, an engineer's role is extremely important," he said.

"The engineers are providing project management and design services in transportation, sewage, structural, environmental and electrical engineering."

Mr. Benevides also said that a delay in construction materials had contributed in putting the project behind schedule.

"The project is experiencing delays due to the late arrival of materials for the X-ray building foundation," he said.

The Royal Gazette attempted to reach both the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for Customs, but neither responded by press time.