LEADER of Opposition, Matthew Wale has called on the Government and the PG 2023 Hosting authority to give local construction companies a fair go in the awarding of national and the 2023 PG infrastructure construction projects.
The statement was made in light of concerns raised in relation to the upcoming tender for the SIFF Academy project which is tied to the recent increase in Chinese construction companies picking up key national projects.
“This is a worrying trend which I fear can cripple the local construction industry and make the country entirely dependent on foreign construction companies for our major infrastructure works if the government is not careful.
“Major infrastructure development projects come with golden opportunities for local employment and upskilling in management and technical expertise. These are qualities that do not come by easily hence when we have them in-country, our local construction companies must be given a level playing field to compete,” says Mr Wale.
He says current stringent tender requirements added with malpractice and political interference may well be part of the impediments that continue to deny our local construction companies having a go at major projects.
Wale goes on to add, “The future of the country will by and large ride on major national projects and so the Government must ensure that local companies are provided with an environment to be equipped in every way possible to be able to shoulder our future infrastructure development needs”.
He also says the responsible authorities must also note that Chinese construction companies will always bid below any threshold set as they can afford to do this given the state support they have, adding that it will be grossly unfair on local companies therefore if quotations are used as the main yardstick to determine winners of contracts.
“I therefore call on the government to give priority to the need to invest in our local construction industry and to ensure that some of the big PG 2023 construction projects are awarded to local companies,” the Opposition Leader further adds.
– Opposition Press
