Doubts have been cast about the performance of road consultants while conducting surveys in the field.
National MP Manuel Castro said that although a survey was conducted before the construction of Tibar road, landslides occurred in several places during the project’s implementation and it gave impact to the road.
“If in the survey they (consultants) find out that there are landslides occurring, they should stop the construction,” he said.
He called on the government to take action, saying the same issue had also occurred in several other places.
He said viability surveys were conducted to determine road quality before construction commenced.
“They (consultants) should do an in-depth study because this money (for road projects) has been loaned and [therefore] should be managed properly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Communication (MPWTC) Gastão de Sousa said some changes would be made to address the issue.
He said the government had also found errors in the design of Tibar road to Comoro airport in Dili. Initial estimates provided by consultants put the cost of the project at $22 million, however, the company recommended by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimated the costs at just $2 million.
“What’s the problem? Maybe the consultant made a mistake in the design or the company wanted to win the tender so they lowered the price?” he said.
De Sousa said the discrepancies showed that the government must properly check all survey results provided by consultants.
However, he also promised that the government would create a more effective system to address these issues.
