NODS explains why contractors are owed thousands for Barbuda work

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The Director of the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), Philmore Mullin, has been explaining why contractors engaged in rebuilding Barbuda are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mullin was called before the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda to explain the funding available and outstanding amounts owed to contractors on Barbuda as well as the pace of recovery in Barbuda in the post-Irma recovery period of more than one year.

The NODS director reported that the process of activating resources allocated through the UNDP is exceedingly slow.

The UNDP, he explained, will only activate one project at a time, such that even if funding is available for a second project, the UNDP must complete the first project before it activates the second.

The UNDP is completing the roofing project funded by China, and has not moved forward on the Hanna Thomas Hospital repairs for which India has provide US$1 million dollars.

Although the UNDP has costed the materials for repairs, following a bidding process, the actual start of the rehabilitation process has not yet begun, according to the government.

It said while the resources provided by China and India go towards purchasing materials for repairs, the cost of labour is borne by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

One contractor is still owed more than $200,000.

“An arrangement was made to pay a part of the bill so that the contractor does not de-mobilize his workforce or equipment,” a statement issued after Cabinet said.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. When i really take a look at it these little mother *******countries cant never be truly independent we borrow to pay back death where does the new monies comes from …….china has a tham motive and it is to own this joint and these universities grad dont know nothing how to lead shit ……we selling passports that is some easy money and still in problems the country is suffering because they looking for their own pockets ……

  2. Stop borrowing from china …..we need to cut back on ministers travel for dumb conferences that dont help shit to sit in a meeting talking crap,we live in an age that you could have tele conferences but the motives is to get travel allowances time to cut back …… ministers should be made to pay a percentage of their utilities this is caring for the people …..cut back from 17 representatives in parliament to 10……we have to start here if not no opposition or government in power tell me they love no country they only interested in what they get when they go their……..but people out here cussing about ccj and pcj and driving on roads that are from the horror movies or a safari in a jungle,cant even get a proper shower but have to stoop and wash they uterus in a slap pale ….. Time for people to unite as one we deserve better stop being blue and red let them know we gave them the job so we can benefit as all people on a whole and not just the two or four that call in on a radio station because they collecting a few pay checks that when u check it out is agreeing to the same thing they disagreed with from the other party etc spliff,devan,blind bartemus and the dumbest fake rastaman in the world……people got to understand when u associate yourself with a person that votes for the alp majority of the time People will automatically think u dont have a brain ,check what happen to beef he just said he not ready for the ccj and they turned against him who told him to have a brain……all of the alp ministers are afraid of the leader that is y he hand picked his people wake up antigua people. The economy is in trouble imagine alp government had to borrow yes borrow 5 million dollars to pay back pay are they really serious in this country,now apua cutting u off left right and center if u dont pay in a couple days not taking into consideration that people not getting paid and in most cases its the same government not paying on time are we as people serious about this living……

    • I totally agreed with your article. I just heard on the news that a group of people are going to England to help in the promotion of Carnival 2019. This is another waste of tax payers dollars. Antigua & Barbuda has an office in England they should be the one responsible of marketing our summer festival along with all the Antiguans & Barbudans living there. I am tired of these government entity jumping on plane wasting millions of tax dollars when we are living in an technology world…where Skype, telecommunication, etc are available. Instead they focus on improving the country infrastructure to help attract investors and more tourist.

  3. I agree that the government should cut back on these long-international travel trips. If you look at the government websites, they look like they are from 2005. They look old and bad. The money used for international travel can instead be invested in updating all government websites so that we look like we are in the age of 2018. Then we can use those websites to ‘market’ Antigua to the world.

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