Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
19 June 2009
Chidenguele — The Mozambican government has put the Portuguese building company Tamega on a black list of companies that can no longer be awarded contracts for public works.
The Minister of Public Works, Felicio Zacarias, announced this move at the end of a meeting of his Ministry's Coordinating Council, held in the southern resort of Chidenguele.
The government has lost patience with companies that win public tenders, but then either fail to deliver the job on time, or produce poor quality work. Such companies will now have the door slammed in their faces.
"I can give you an example", Zacarias told reporters. "Tamega can bid for as many tenders launched by the government as it likes, but it will not win any of them. Contractors who do not comply with contracts cannot be hired for public works in any part of the country. Not only will they go on a black list, but their licences will be withdrawn".
But asked about a second Portuguese company, Conduril, Zacarias said the government had no problems with it. "You journalists made mistakes when you wrote about that company", said Zacarias.
Tamega was the lead partner in the consortium which won the tender to rehabilitate the Namacurra-Ligonha river stretch of the main north-south highway, and to build a bridge over the Lugela river in the central province of Zambezia
In August 2008, the National Road Administration (ANE) expressed its annoyance at the failure of the consortium to meet contractually agreed deadlines. The then ANE general director, Eusebio Siquela, threatened to penalize the consortium.
The Lugela bridge was delivered to the government in October 2008, a year behind schedule. The 151 kilometres of road between Namacurra and the Ligonha river should have been delivered in April 2008, but the deadline had to be extended. In September 2008, the Deputy Minister of Public Works threaten to rescind the contract with Tamega because of the delays.
In addition to these delays, Tamega, was caught violating the Mozambican labour law and was fined over 103,000 meticais (about 4,000 US dollars).
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