A Member of Parliament (MP) warned the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) to fix its monitoring mechanisms of public works because far too many are of poor quality.
MP Inacio Moreira said there must be assurances public works are of a high standard and quality.
“There must be sound designs for roads, bridges, installation of water and electricity before you start allocating funds.”
He said projects need good plans and viability studies.
“Technical designs require adequate calculations and for this there must be adequate systems in place,” said the MP.
In relation to this concern the Secretary of State for Public Works (SEOP), Luis Vaz Rodrigues, said a new system is in place based on technical procedures for public works done on government institutions.
SEOP Rodrigues added the new system includes requirements for data collection, technical designs, quotes and monitoring to be conducted by independent consultants.
He said once consultants have done the preliminary assessments they will put in a request to the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and the National Development Agency (ADN) who will conduct a joint inspection of the public works being undertaken.
“There will be direct inspection of designs and construction by consultants.
Consultants who get it wrong will go to prison,” said SE Rodrigues.
“Most disputes so far have been between the companies and the government not between consultants and the government because we have not paid adequate attention to the work of consultants. So now we have allocated consultants at the district level.”
