Pre-fabricated building at $892K not a true story said Melairei

Director Brian Melairei ((Photo by Office of the President, Republic of Palau)

“The recent news story in Tia Belau reporting that the temporary building to house all the government offices in and around Finance area consists of a prefabricated structure costing $892,000 dollars is completely wrong,” vehemently denied Public Works & CIP Director Brian Melairei in an interview this week.

Responding to Tia Belau’s article, Melairei expressed, “It seems you are trying to conjure your own news instead of reporting facts and I wonder just how your readers perceive the information you present.”

The $892,000 dollars is the cost of the first phase of the project worth over $5 million dollars according to Director Melairei.  “This amount covers design and engineering, demolition and clearance of existing facilities and a temporary structure to house essential government services during the construction of the One-Stop-Shop,” added Melairei.  “It is not the cost of just one temporary facility.”

According to the letter sent to editor of Tia Belau, there was a local construction company that bid only for the temporary facility to house finance, labor, immigration and SS and the total bid amount for just that temporary facility was $377,000.

He added that if those small contractors have submitted their bids as they say, for $150,000, they may have won the bid for the temporary facility.

Construction of the actual One-Stop-Shop building itself will be bid out sometime toward the end of May when the design is expected to be completed according toMelairei.

President Remengesau Jr. at the weekly press conference also laments poor news reporting which he said “confused” people and made people think that an illegal or wrongful activity is happening with the project.

“Taiwan’s Ambassador is very concerned that such news will tarnish Taiwan’s reputation for transparency in its ODA’s.  Funds expended are Taiwan’s people’s monies and they want to make sure they are expended right,” added Remengesau.

Director Melairei further expressed that process of bidding out this project has been very transparent and that if anyone wants to know any information on any projects, Public Works Office is open to anyone.

On related matter, Director Melairei reported that by April 15^th, all essential government offices such as Treasury, Tax & Revenue, Labor and Immigration would all be relocated to the temporary facility at former Little League Baseball field in Ngesekes, Ngerbeched.  Other government services currently housed at this location but not listed here, will be moved to Ngerulmud.

“Only Social Security Office will move in phases.  Some services under Social Security would be at the temporary facility by the 15^th except for Disbursement Division and Collection Division.  Disbursement Division will move on the 25^th of April and Collection will move by 3^rd of May,” according to Director Melairei.

To receive payments or to make payments to Social Security, these offices will remain at their current Social Security office location after the 15^th of April. (L.N. Reklai)