Contractors told to explain why they need to be paid

By Alfred Sasako

CONTRACTORS engaged by the Government to undertake maintenance and other works on government properties have been told to write “a strong letter” to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development explaining why they should be paid.

One of the contractors, Johnny Nelson, told Island Sun yesterday this was the response from the Ministry when some 150 contractors followed up their payments, which have been outstanding since last year.

“The Permanent Secretary simply told us to write a strong letter explaining why we should be paid and what we are going to spend the money on.

“The fact of the matter is we were engaged under contract to do a job and we have done it. Why in the world should be writing a strong letter requesting payment and explaining what the payment would be spent on?,” Mr Nelson said yesterday.

He said it would seem things have turned back to front.

“We have outstanding school fees to settle. We have families to feed and so on. So why do we need to explain to the government where we are going to spend the money, which as far as I am concerned is something we have already earned,” Mr Nelson said.

The Permanent Secretary [acting] of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development could not be contacted for comments last night.

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