‘Do away with politics’

THE Kerevat National High School in East New Britain risks losing K7 million in rehabilitation works unless politicking over the project ceases.
This was the warning from National Planning Minister and Member for Pomio Paul Tiensten.
The total costs for upgrading of facilities at the school was K14 million.
The first phase was K7 million for work on 12 dormitories, water and sewerage.
The second phase is worth K7 million to rehabilitate classrooms and teachers’ houses.
This phase is still the subject of discussion between the school and National Planning Department.
Mr Tiensten said this during the opening of the new dormitories last month by the Education Minister James Marape which he thought the contractor SWT did a fantastic job on the 12 dormitories, based on what he had seen.
“They used materials from overseas that you cannot source from suppliers here and the materials used to build the dorms are new except for the framing.”
He said the contractor SWT was unfairly treated by the people of ENB.
“We gave the contractor money in good faith based on project a submission, the onus is with the contractors and boards to make sure the work is done properly, within budget and within time.”
SWT managing contractor, Eremas Wartoto said the contract for phase one was issued under the certificate of inexpediency (CoI) by the provincial government because of the urgent situation confronting the school.
He said the dormitories and water supply were condemned and the school had to be closed down.
Mr Wartoto said now that the dormitories, water and sewerage were completed, CoI was no longer required and there could now be an open tender.