Screen construction companies properly

DESPITE the downfall in government revenue as indicated in the 2017 budget, the O’Neill Government is living up to its theme of delivering development and services to the people.
One of the main areas in which it is spending more money is the road maintenance, upgrading and sealing as well as fixing of collapsed bridges.
While the Government is concentrating more on this particular area, the Central Supplies and Tenders Board should ensure that all bidders for road construction projects, both national and international, must have good record in delivering the projects on time and within budget.
Only well established and reputable companies should be considered for participating in civil constructions to produce a tangible result which will last long regardless of weather patterns in this country.
I believe that some civil construction companies are motivated only by money and have no regard for the finished product that they will deliver.
They only think of making quick money without even completing the civil works as per the initial scope of work. They sometimes deliver low quality road sealing and bitumen surfaces which do not last long.
One such road project is the sealing of parts of the Highlands Highway, especially in Enga leading to the Porgera gold mine.
It was sealed recently but there now appears to be lots of large potholes.
This clearly shows that some civil construction companies are incompetent and deliver poor finished products despite the millions of kina of taxpayers’ money spent on these projects by the Government.
I therefore call on the officers of Central Supplies and Tenders Board of Papua New Guinea to do proper and competent assessment of those civil construction companies who bid for civil construction projects worth millions of kina.
By doing such, there will not be spending of money on a recycled basis as is the pattern now but will spend on new areas of development.

Yalo Hexton Kapili
Lagaip-Porgera, Enga