Awesa swats road contractors for inferior work

 WORKS Minister Francis Awesa has hit out at contractors who are doing substandard work.

He made the call at a press conference yesterday after complaints were made in Parliament by Anglimp-South Wahgi MP Komun Joe Koim about a road in his electorate.

Awesa said Koim’s complaint about the Kindeng to Kondopina road applied to other projects in the country. “One thing I want to say about these contractors, who are doing sub-standard work, is that it’s about time the government put them on the blacklist,” he said.

“Somebody should take action.

“You (contractors) are paid a lot of money and people want to see the road being done.”

Awesa, a veteran of the road construction business, said he knew very well about such practices by contractors. “I’ve done some of the best roads in Papua New Guinea and I don’t see any reason why contractors should not do the same,” he said.

“Many of them get a government job, they want to get into the real estate industry, they want to do this, and they want to do that.

“When you chose a profession, or in this case an industry, you must keep to it, build up your profile in the industry and do it properly.

“As a result, government is not getting value for money on some of these roads because everyone is rushing to get their money and not doing the job properly.”

Awesa gave, as an example, the road from Mendi to Angora Bridge, which was done by his company Global Construction. “Twenty years after we did that, the road is still there, because we did it properly,” he said.

“I told my engineers, my people, it’s not the money, it’s the road that’s going to maintain my industry reputation.

“The best advertisement for a road contractor is the job done.”