Concern about massive sums being squandered on Pacific Games and NCD

By TERRY SHELLEY

President

Goroka Chamber of Commerce and Industry

At a recent meeting of the Goroka Chambers of Commerce it was decided that we should make a public statement regarding our dissatisfaction at the obscene unequal distribution of revenue, especially the massive sums being squandered on the Pacific Games and the National Capital District (NCD).

The founding fathers of PNG, conscious of the fact that we were erecting a nation out of more ethnic groups than any nation on Earth, framed the Constitution which emphasises that sharing what we have to allow all of us to develop at the same pace.

The Constitution's First National Goal calls for: "every effort to be made to achieve an equitable distribution of incomes and other benefits of development among individuals and throughout the various parts of the country”.

 It also states "equalisation of services in all parts of the country and every citizen to have equal access to legal processes and all services, governmental or otherwise, that are required for the fulfillment of his or her real need and aspirations".

Previous governments and this present government are guilty of gross dereliction of duty under the Constitution.

I can assure the Minister for Sports that none of the millions of PNG rural woman and children will ever bathe in his much-vaunted Aquatic Centre.

So what will be the legacy on cost benefit to the vast majority PNG citizens who do not live in NCD?

 Huge contracts are being handed out mainly to Contractors of Chinese and Mediterranean ethnic with Papua New Guineans picking up the crumbs of being labuorers, plant operators, etc.

There is a virtual "gold rush" in the NCD which is awash with cash. This money belongs to ALL Papua New Guineans from all provinces and should be shared as per the Constitution.

The continuing media blitz telling us what a wonderful job is being done in vaporising K1 billion on the venues for the games is becoming extremely annoying although it is hard at times to distinguish who is being promoted, the games or the minister.

PNG already has a "silver medal" on the world stage and that is for being second only to Afghanistan in infant and mother mortalities in child birth.

This is something that we should be ashamed of.

The vast sums of money being allocated to NCD actually belong to all the people of PNG.

These disenfranchised asset owners will not be found in the bars and eateries of the likes of the "Grand Papua" or "Airways" but in the villages and hamlets throughout PNG mainland and the islands of the far atolls of the maritime provinces.

With respect we ask the Prime Minister and his Sports Minister that on the next occasion of ground breaking or ribbon cutting ceremonies in NCD, they stop for a moment and give a thought for the rural people who have suffered in silence and for the many women and children who have paid the ultimate price due to lack of basic medical services.

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.

Tkatchenko: 'Nothing sinister about Pacific Games contract'

By MALUM NALU

 

Sports and Pacific Games Minister Justin Tkatchenko says said there is “nothing sinister” about the awarding of a K263 million contract to China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE) to build the 2015 Pacific Games Village at University of PNG.

He said this when asked by The National as to how and why CRCE was awarded a contract worth more than K263 million to build the village, despite the job being valued at only K190m by New Zealand engineering consultancy firm, Warren and Mahoney.

This is also despite CRCE failing to meet annual turnover requirements, not providing information on working capital, liquid assets and/or credit facilities, and no certificate of compliance to confirm payment of tax to the Internal Revenue Commission, disqualifying it from further evaluation for the contract.

“There is nothing sinister,” Tkatchenko said.

“I see nothing wrong.

“It’s gone through every process possible to come up to this final action.

“People will find nothing out of it.

“At the end of the day, we’ve recommended the best possible contractor to do the job on time.

“The most important thing for us is to get the job done on time.”

Asked about CRCE failing to come up with a certificate of compliance from the IRC, Tkatchenko said: “I wouldn’t have a clue.

“I’ve never heard about that.

“They (CRCE) must have complied if they are awarded the contract.

“Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) made their evaluation from the current circumstances.

“That’s Central Supply and Tenders Board’s job.

“I had no issue with that.”

Fletcher Morobe Construction was recommended by the tender evaluation committee (TEC) to the CSTB ahead of nine other bidders to be awarded the contract at a cost of K191, 453, 553.80, however, this was somehow given to CRCE.

Tkatchenko, however, said Fletcher Morobe was willing to do that Aquatic Centre at 3-Mile so the village contract - with a deadline of March 2015 - was given to CRCE.

He said he asked the TEC why CRCE was given the village contract, despite Fletcher Morobe winning the bid.

“The answer that they (TEC) gave me was that Fletcher Morobe was happy to do the Aquatic Centre,” Tkatchenko said.

“They were more than happy to do the Aquatic Centre.”

Tkatchenko said the tender bids went through the TEC, CSTB, State Solicitor, on to Cabinet to make a decision, back to State Solicitor to draw up the contracts, and then on to Governor-General to sign.

He said CRCE was working with New Zealand engineering consultancy company, Becca, on behalf of the government as project manager, with Curtain Brothers doing the groundwork

Chinese company awarded inflated contract to build Pacific Games Village

By MALUM NALU

 

A Chinese company, China Railway Construction Engineering (CRCE) PNG, was awarded a contract worth more than K263 million to build the 2015 Pacific Games Village at University of PNG, despite the job being valued at only K190m.

Documents provided to The National show that CRCE was not in the top three of the 10 companies that bid for the contract, however, was approved ahead of the rest at an additional cost of more than K73 million to Papua New Guinea.

Sports and Pacific Games Minister Justin Tkatchenko, when contacted for comment, said there was “nothing sinister” about the awarding of the contract to CRCE.

A government source said a professional New Zealand engineering consultancy firm, Warren and Mahoney, did the scoping and estimation for the project which it said was worth K190m.

Moreover, the tender evaluation committee (TEC) of the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB), disqualified CRCE from further evaluation, however, it was somehow awarded the contract.

The 10 companies that bid and their respective prices were China Railway Construction Group PNG (K149, 549, 896.90), China Railway Construction Engineering PNG (K263, 973, 822.56), Associated Builders (K389, 699, 629.50), J4J Construction & Hardware Supplies (K179, 550, 813.20),  China Harbour Engineering Ltd (K153, 307, 006.19), PNG Construction Ltd (K223, 437, 500), Digara Construction Ltd (K226, 479, 798.16), Fletcher Morobe Construction (K191, 453, 653.80), JIC Niugini Engineering (K173, 236, 504.02), and China Railway Group (K189,033, 309.98)

Fletcher Morobe Construction was recommended by the tender evaluation committee (TEC) of the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) to be awarded the contract at a cost of K191, 453, 553.80.

The other two top companies after that were China Harbour Engineering Ltd (K153, 307. 006.19), and JIC Niugini Engineering Ltd (K173, 236, 504.02)

“Members of the TEC assessed individual bids according to the evaluation criteria for technical scores out of 100, and average totals established to determine the ranking of the bids,” according to the TEC report.

“Emphasis was placed on technical scores for ranking individual firms, while financial capacity was assessed based on the available working capital.

“China Railway Construction Engineering failed to meet the annual turnover requirements and his (sic) failure to provide the working capital, liquid assets and/or credit facilities information, and no certificate of compliance to confirm payment of tax to the IRC, disqualifies him for further evaluation

Fletcher Morobe topped with 84 out of 100 followed by CRCE (77.3), China Harbour Engineering (77.2), JIC Niugini (76.7), China Railway Construction Group (76.5), China Railway Group (74), PNG Construction (63.5), J4J Construction & Hardware (70.5), Digara Construction (61.3), and Associate Builders (61.2).

Members of the TEC were chairman Gabriel Tomtai and members Simon Vai, Rayu Frank, Iammo Launa, Veari Hitolo, and Phillip Tabogani.

Tracing the footsteps of their Taiwanese grandfathers

By MALUM NALU

It is a very little known and sad story of World War 11 in Papua New Guinea, that many of the Japanese soldiers were in fact Taiwanese.

The Takasago Giyūtai (Taiwanese Volunteers) were forcefully-conscripted volunteer soldiers in the Imperial Japanese Army, recruited from the Taiwanese aboriginal tribes during WW11because of their hunter-gatherer culture, and sent to the jungles of far-off New Guinea to fight in a war that was not theirs.

Now, almost 70 years after the end of WW11 in 1945, a Taiwanese academic is in PNG to follow the footsteps of his grandfather in Wewak, East Sepik, as well as conduct traditional rituals to bring back the spirits of the Takasago Giyūtai who lost their lives there.

Tsai…a man on a mission

Prof Futuru Tsai, an academic at National Taitung University in Taiwan, left for Wewak yesterday (Thursday) with research student Yavaus Gling, artist Siki Sufin, and documentary filmmaker Siaman Zhang Yehai, on a special mission to retrace the footsteps of their grandfathers and bring their spirits with them back to Taiwan, as well as foster new bonds with the people of Wewak East Sepik, and PNG.

Prof Futuru Tsai with artist Siki Sufin, Taiwan Trade Mission representative Daniel Hu, research student Yavaus Gling, and documentary filmmaker  Siaman Zhang Yehai.-Pictures by MALUM NALU

He estimates that of the more than 4,000 Takasago Giyūtai brought by the Japanese to fight in PNG, up to 3,000 lost their lives here.

Tsai’s grandfather, Roeng, died two years ago aged 90, but his stories about WW11 in PNG, which included that of starving Japanese being forced to eat human flesh to stay alive in the jungles, have always intrigued his grandson, who had already published his biography.

This is his second time in PNG, having first come here four years ago with his father and younger brother, to retrace Roeng’s footsteps.

“There were more than 4,000 Taiwanese indigenous people who were conscripted by the Japanese to go to the battlefields, especially in Papua New Guinea, like Wewak, Madang, Lae, and Rabaul,” Tsai told The National yesterday.

“Four years ago, I traced the footsteps of my grandfather with my father and my younger brother.

“At that time, we made many, many new friends around Wewak and Angoram.

“This time, four years later, I bring with me one of the most-famous indigenous artists in Taiwan, a documentary filmmaker, and also one of the students from my graduate institute.

“This time, we want to bring our ancestral spirits from around the battlefield, back home to Taiwan.

“We also want to establish new connections.

“We want to create new understanding between Taiwan society and Papua New Guinea.”

Tsai admitted that the story of the Takasago Giyūtai was one of the little-known and saddest in the WW11 history of Taiwan, Japan, and PNG, and hopes that something positive will come out of his visit to Wewak and East Sepik.