The Samoa Government is looking to spread the wealth from World Bank funded road works to all local contractors and it has asked the funding organization to reduce contractor requirements to allow this.
According to the Samoa Observer, Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure Papali’i Niko Lee Hang said this can only help local contractors.
Presently only one local company, Ott Construction, is qualified to conduct roadworks under the World Bank criteria.
He said the proposal to the World Bank would help the companies involved through capacity building.
“It will benfit the contractors, not only get a share of the work and use our local employees, but also keep the money flow within the country,” he said.
He said the road works contracts will be worth billions of US dollars in World Bank grants.
He added that the Land Transport Authority will be charged with ensuring a high quality of work is required and attained from contractors.
“Now they are strict on regulating roads and LTA is working together with the ministry of works engineers to closely monitor those works,” he said.
