Dubious contractors to get boot

 By MOUA OMOA

DUBIOUS contractors will be investigated and blacklisted for squandering millions of kina in public funds.

Works Minister Francis Awesa said many contractors, especially those operating along the Highlands Highway, have been paid millions of kina for road rehabilitation projects that were never completed and accounted for.

“As we progress with audit for all the contracts, we will blacklist those who have failed to comply,” he said. 

“Millions of kina have been spent to rehabilitate major roads along the Highlands Highway but contractors have either failed to complete the projects or the work was not up to satisfactory standards.”

He added that communication problems, especially the language barrier between some contractors and the Works Department had resulted in the current problems. 

“Some of the contractors employ engineers who don’t speak English which makes it very difficult to communicate.”

Awesa said the contractors’ failure and misuse of public funds included the K100 million allocated for the 21km Southern Highlands highway.

This has been referred to the Task Force Sweep for investigation.

The minister said this following a call by Wabag MP Robert Ganim for the government to investigate and blacklist dubious contractors working along the Highlands Highway.

Ganim also raised concerns about a 16km road from Wabag to Lagaip that remained incomplete and was a vital link to the Porgera gold mine in Enga.