Government asked to explain extra K73 million for Pacific Games

By MALUM NALU

 

A concerned advocacy Group, Good Governance Advocacy Forum (GGAF), has asked why Papua New Guinea is paying out a massive K73 million in additional costs for the 2015 Pacific Games Village at the University of PNG.

Spokesman, Joe Poeo, said in a letter to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill that Cabinet had been misled and awarded the K263m contract to China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE), when it was only worth K190m.

“People of Papua New Guinea will have to fork out a massive K73m on top of what has been estimated by the state-engaged and fully-paid consulting firm,” he said.

“Our investigation reveals that there were other reputable construction and engineering firms that tendered for this project.

“Their bid pricing were around the vicinity of the price estimated by the engineer of K190m, yet, the government has seen fit to simply add another massive K73m on top of the engineer’s estimate and awarding the contract.”

Poeo called on Sports and Pacific Games Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, to explain the inflated job.

“It is in the best interest of the people of this country that the Minister for Sports and Pacific Games to inform them the reason in inflating that figure over and above the professional engineer’s estimate,” he said.

“It is not a numerical figure, but actual cash that is being inserted into some submissions to eventually get the nod of the ministers in cabinet.

“Whether the state ministers were misled or merely forced to support and give approval to such an outrageous submission is a matter for the good minister to explain to the nation.

“He has a fiduciary obligation to do so.”

Poeo said O’Neill had an obligation to explain to the people of PNG.

“We ask through your office to ensure that the money that was added to the scoped figure is clearly explained in a more-transparent manner before any clearance is given,” he said.

“You are obligated to ensure that the people of this country know how their money is being managed by the executive government of the day.