Minister of Finance corrects earlier statements by PM's adviser accusing World Bank Featured
Minister of Finance Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa. Inseted photo is the adviser to the Prime Minister Lopeti Senituli.
3 September, 2019. The Government of Tonga would like to clarify statements made last week, August 28th, by a Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson during a radio interview regarding delays on reconstruction of schools damaged during cyclone Gita.
In an interview with Radio New Zealand, a government spokesperson identified the World Bank as the administrator of funds for school reconstruction and suggested that the World Bank was responsible for delays to the project.
The government would like to further clarify that funds for school reconstruction are administered by the government through the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) in accordance with World Bank policies.
MEIDECC is also collaborating with the Ministry of Infrastructure (MoI) and Ministry of Education and Training (MET) on the school reconstruction project.
Funding totaling approximately USD13.81 million has been included for school reconstruction activities within this project, including USD11.85 million from the World Bank and AUD3 million from the Australian Government– which will cover the works for the 30 schools prioritized by the government.
It should be noted that the Gita Recovery Framework, as approved by Government on 27th June 2018, is in three phases: immediate response from February 2018 to June 2018; the short term recovery from July 2018 to June 2019 and was extended to December 2019; and the long term reconstruction from July 2019 to June 2020; the classrooms reconstruction falls under the long term reconstruction period. This Recovery Framework follows the new method used by the United Nations for disaster recovery.
There are several reasons for the time taken for construction to begin from the time Cyclone Gita hit Tonga, including:
I. Cyclone Gita hit Tonga specifically the main island of Tongatapu and ‘Eua on 12 February 2018 and Government of Tonga and the World Bank worked in collaboration with applications for assistance from the Bank and the Australian Government which was approved by the World Bank Board with an effective date of 25 October 2018.
II. The first step of the reconstruction was the recruitment of a firm to manage design and reconstruction. In this case, the Government of Tonga commenced the process by undertaking an international recruitment process to identify and contract a firm. This recruitment was carried out in consultation with the Bank for no objection and there were a number of delays with the evaluation process including having to sort out a complaint from one of the bidders;
III. Following an open and competitive international procurement process, the firm Cardno was hired by the Government of Tonga – the contract was signed in March 2019.
IV. It was a rigorous international procurement process and it did take some time - this was necessary to secure an appropriately qualified firm with the necessary experience. This process was open for both international and local contractors;
V. Schools are not being reconstructed as they were – the reconstruction project is focused on ‘building back better’ making schools that are more resilient to extreme weather, with improved disability access and better water, health and sanitation facilities.
VI. The designs will ensure schools are better equipped to withstand future cyclones and have more gender and disability inclusive facilities – this also takes time. “Regretfully, the statements made earlier did not fully reflect that the Government of Tonga is administering the funds for school reconstruction works and it is overseen by the Bank to ensure compliance with Bank policies, and while the delays are considerable and acknowledged, there are a number of factors that have led to them.
“We hope to begin reconstruction by end of this month and will continue working with our development partners including the Government of Australia and the World Bank to build back more resilient, better schools into the future,” said The Minister of Finance Honourable Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa.
The bidding documents for the first three schools have now been finalized by the government and requests for quotes are being obtained from qualified local construction companies. All schools have been assessed by the firm recruited by the Government to undertake this work and designs for the full list of 30 schools in Tongatapu and ‘Eua are being prepared and will be rolled out successively over the coming months.
Last Friday, 30th August 2019, Government has marked the commencement of the Gita House Reconstruction Project in a home in Va’ePopua which was completely destroyed by Cyclone Gita.
The homeowner is a widow who has not rebuilt her home since the cyclone Government is aiming that by the end of the month (September), the reconstruction of the first lot of the classrooms reconstruction will start and all parties are working hard to achieve this goal.
2 comments
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WHY WEREN'T THERE TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS BUILT? Just as we suspected: PM's propaganda by PM & his side-kick Senituli was shifting the blame on to the World Bank. What a bunch of liars and do-nothing government administrators.
School children deserve better than "homeless tent classrooms" for 17 months. Don't lie to the public that Government cannot build temporary portable wooden (or fale Tonga) classrooms that could be replaced once the permanent ones are built. That's what a sensible leaders would do instead of public servants with no brains.
And as we suspect, Government is now a "kolekole" bunch, and they will not do anything other than sit and wait for foreign donors. And if they don't come, nothing gets done while school children are exposed to dirt, insect bites, and health hazards that come with lack of proper shelter against the elements of nature.
PM and Minister of Education need to be sacked for lack of a brain. Their children go to the better schools while the children of marginalized parents are told they must wait for a new school that would come from America and elsewhere. -
The article illustrated the incompetent and the shallow knowledge of the country’s current events by the PM. When your subordinate is correcting you publicly, it proves my point.
As a manger, my employer has an array of expectations of me. For that reason, I know who comes late to work, who leave early before quitting time, who works hard, who need encouragement, budget spending, new laws that affect my operation etc. I expect the PM to know the same about his government. Does he?
It has been slightly more than 18 months since Gita terrorizing the island. The transparency does not exist. No one from the government tell us what the plan of action is if there is any. Then one day, eighteen months later, the PM told us the status, he blamed the WB for being obstructionist. Seven days later, the Minister of Finance told us differently. Who do you believe? You be the judge.
Recently, I catch up on the monetary police of the National Reserve Back of Tonga. It appears to me it has a sound policy. Considering this article, I question, does the PM know about this policy? Does he know the interest rate is at zero percent? And for how long it as been at zero! Does he know the minimum loans/deposit ratio is 80% or the statutory reserve deposit ratio is 10%? The PM ought to know these because his government policy affecting the monetary policy.
The monetary policy sound good but that is the lowest optimum to maintain before the country collapse financially. So, Tonga, elect a PM that will move the interest rate 1%, LDR of 85% and 9% RDR.
That is why I said, PM do not blame the WB. You are incompetent.