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Opposition Group

Wale blasts ADB over Kongulai Water Treatment Project failure

By Eliza Kukutu

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CARE Leader Matthew Wale

The Leader of Opposition Hon. Matthew Wale has blasted the ADB for its insistence on awarding the  Kongulai water treatment plant contract to Rean/PCS, despite evidence of non-performance raised by Solomon water officials.

Hon. Wale stated that the failure of the Kongulai water treatment plant project is a direct consequence of ADB’s irresponsible decision to prioritize cost over quality, ignoring concerns from local stakeholders.

“ADB’s insistence on selecting Rean/PCS has jeopardized a critical national project and exposed our people to further unnecessary hardship. Their blatant failure to exercise proper due diligence is utterly unacceptable” Hon. Wale said.

Hon. Wale stressed that ADB must take full responsibility for the failed project.

“Solomon Islanders should not be the ones suffering the consequences of ADB’s incompetence. ADB must bear the cost of their failed decision making and relieve Solomon Islanders from the debt burden of this disastrous project” Hon. Wale emphasized.

The Opposition Leader said that the Government, in collaboration with the Solomon Water board, must terminate the loan agreement.

“This failed project is the direct result of ADB’s insistence on the lowest bidder being awarded the contract regardless of other important criteria, and ADB’s very poor due diligence processes,” Hon. Wale said.

Hon. Wale further called for a fundamental shift in the development approaches of donors.

“We must move away from development narratives and agendas that sacrifice quality for cost-cutting and, in doing so, pile more debt onto our people. This approach is unsustainable and only serves to trap us in a vicious cycle of poor infrastructure and financial dependency” Hon. Wale concluded.

ENDS//

– OPPOSITION PRESS

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