Delay in payment concerns contractor

A CONTRACTOR with the Lae City Council is concerned over the prolonged delay in paying his company for work it did almost two years ago.
Nilkande Builders and General Contractors managing director John Mandime raised the matter after waiting in vain to collect payment from the council.
His company was engaged by the city council to provide bins at strategic locations in Lae for the public to dispose rubbish.
“The blue, yellow and green rubbish bins that you see in Lae today, we are the ones who were contracted to put them up,” Mandime said.
“We have installed more than 90 rubbish bins in all corners of Lae.
“We did this work in March 2014, but to date we have not been paid.
“The LCC owes me K76,950 in outstanding payments.
“My 14 staff are yet to be paid their wages because I have not been paid by the council.”
He said the company’s creditors were also looking for him because he was yet to settle payments for materials supplied to him during the contract period.
Meanwhile, Lae City manager Roy Kamen said he was aware of Mandime’s case.
But Kamen said Mandime was engaged by the health division to do the job so he must follow up with them.