Semoso warns of withdrawing K5m road funding

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 16th November 2011

REGIONAL Member for Bougainville Fidelis Semoso has warned he will raise a five million kina return cheque to the national finance and treasury department if the Autonomous Bougainville Administration continues to delay starting work on maintenance of roads on Buka Island.
He has given the administration until Friday to start work.
“If the administration is too slow, I will raise a cheque for that money back to the national treasury and have the Central Supply and Tenders board release the contract,” Semoso warned.
He said yesterday K5 million was released recently for the sealing of the next 4km of the Buka ring road, maintenance of Buka town roads, Lonahan to Hanahan and Gagan to Kohiso roads in North Bougainville.
“It has been three weeks since the money has been released and I am still waiting for the Bougainville administration to receive a tender,” Semoso said.
“It is frustrating when the funding has been made available and the actual work is slow.”
Semoso said since last week, his officers had been unsuccessful in finding out the cause of the Bougainville administration’s delay.