People’s Alliance Deputy Party Leader Manoa Kamikamica says the Minister for Economy’s excuse that some Asian Development Bank-funded roads develop potholes within three months because ADB told them to give it to the cheapest company, speaks volumes of the Minister’s arrogance.
Kamikamica says yes, government is required to comply with the terms and conditions of ADB funded infrastructure projects but that does not necessarily mean to award the tender to the lowest bidder.
He says if we are to assume that government has compelling and objective arguments to award a tender to an existing company based on quality workmanship, then the state of our roads wouldn’t be an issue at all.
As of April this year, ADB’s cumulative commitment for projects and technical assistance to Fiji funds 124 projects totaling $916.95 million.
Kamikamica says it is not the ADB’s fault that government’s procurement process awards contracts to companies that deliver half-baked jobs.
He says the FijiFirst government has been in power for more than a decade now and we have all grown accustomed to their usual blame game - either on a former prime minister, previous government and now an international donor partner for issues that really fall under the ambit of government’s responsibility.
He says that since 2014, ADB’s investments in transport infrastructure have included rehabilitating and resealing more than 300 kilometres of roads and conducting studies on 40 critical bridges and three jetties.
Kamikamica says the ADB is helping Fiji improve the safety and durability of our land and maritime transport infrastructure with a key focus on building climate-resilient infrastructure, and yet, this is how the line Minister expresses his gratitude, by circumventing questions and blaming those very hands that feed funding to help the Fijian people access essential services and markets via improved public infrastructure.
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