Pala comes under fire
Sunday Chronicle
Sunday, January31, 2016
The opposition has taken to task the
Attorney General, Ano Pala, for allegedly pushing to award a contract to a “preferred
company” for the new K430 Million Waigani Supreme and National Courts Complex
(WSNCC).
During a press conference earlier this
week, Opposition Leader, Don Polye said he has evidence to prove that Pala had
been coercing Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia, to award the contract to L&A
construction.
“I have evidence to show that Ano Pala has
met the Chief Justice on two occasions where he had been pressing the chief
justice to ensure that a particular company of his choice to be awarded the
K430Million contract.
“I have evidence to prove that he has
spoken to the office of the chief justice to force the chief justice to write a
letter to recommend a local company.
“The company is a well-known company which
has been awarded contracts in exorbitant amount before in the country, like the
recent renovation of the Pineapple building. This same company has been pushed
by Ano Pala through the office of the chief justice whom he is using to
influence the decision of the Central Suppliers and Tenders Board hence to have
the prime minister approves that at the national cabinet level to have the
contract awarded to L&A.”
He said Pala’s actions indicate a direct
influence on the process of governance by someone who has been mandated to
protect the rule of law.
 |
| WSNCC car park is almost completed by Global construction and MJ Electrical. |
“The attorney general is the number one
legal officer in the country that makes sure the state’s laws are not breached
by others and whenever there is a breach he plays that stewardship role to make
sure that the breach is corrected and he sets the focus in line with the
constitution.
He said that is wrong and unfair to the
people of Papua New Guinea.
“It is morally wrong and ethically wrong in
the code and conducts of a leader and is legally wrong and cannot be tolerated
by this nation and the people of the country who abide by the rule of law.
Polye said that evidence provided proves
that the technical evaluation committee that has been appointed by the Central
Supply and Tenders Board have given recommendations against the AG’s view.
 |
| WSNCC car park is almost completed by Global construction and MJ Electrical. |
Polye explained that L& A is a company
that has close ties with the PNC party and the Prime Minister and that the
company’s bid is much more than the amount set.
According to documents obtained by the
opposition, CSTB had shortlisted 3 qualified companies based on their
experience and bidding, had recommended to NEC in preference from 1-3;
1.
China Railway Construction Engineering(CRCE)
CRCE bid was K427 million
2.
L & A Construction
L&A bid was
K454million
3.
China Railway Construction
Group (CRCG)
CRCG bid K490 million
However, Polye stressed that that is not
the situation because the AG is blackmailing the CJ.
“If you look at the other side, AG chairs
the Judges’ appointment committee who is in charge of shortlisting judges, or
even to terminate and dismiss a judge. He makes decisions and now he is forcing
the CJ to make a decision and Papua New Guineans should be aware of the
difficult situation the chief justice is in. A very compromising situation
which this nation does not deserve to see happen,”
 |
| Avenell Group Limited Builders working on the ground works for the Waigani National Court . |
Meanwhile the opposition has called on the
Ombudsman Commission to intervene directly on the situation considering Pala
who is out on bail after being charged and arrested for trying to prevent the
course of justice.
The new court complex project has been
allocated K180Million in the 2015 National Budget for the first year of
construction. The total estimated appropriation is about K610Million which will
see the project over a four year period in anticipation of the 2018 APEC
meeting.
Comments
Post a Comment