Tuesday 31: One point shouldn’t affect 100% Wale

Dear Editor,

The successful tender for the Pukapuka contract IS still going to an overseas company using local consultants. Chris Manu would be involved no matter who got the job, as he was subcontracting his services to all four other tenderers including Romanisdesign.

Regarding papa Tere Temu, he was left out of our own cyclone committee in Pukapuka because he has caused trouble within the community prior to the result of the tender process.

Romani had all three villages involved as he knows the Pukapukan customs and the way we do things. When this tender came out, our people were very hopeful that Romani would get the tender because of his experience and that he is Pukapukan.

When we found out that he had met all technical and financial requirements as set by the EU process, then we knew that this would indicate that a local should get the job.

If the evaluation committee believes that an overseas company won extra points for having a local in-house manager and a local representatvie on Pukapuka, then they obviously believe that a foreign company would do a better job than a local company who already has local contact on the ground and the support of the island.

What experience does this evaluation committee have anyway? There are no technically-qualified people like engineers, architects, designers, construction managers on this committee to make these decisions.

I find it hard to believe that after the evaluation committee’s recommendation, that Mike Mitchell as chairman still had the opportunity to award the contract to a local company, considering a one point difference.

But it is sad to see that our own people at the very top do not support locals. We appreciate the EU tender process and its funds, but at the end of the day, it is a very simple structure and the message we are receiving is that local talent is not capable.

I’m sure NZAid would have nominated a local company given it met all the criteria as they are more in touch with the outer islands and its social and economic aspects.

We don’t want our project to be like the Red Cross project, where they have already spent most of the money on design fees for nearly three years now.

As for ‘25% Wale’, I can see you are not a Pukapukan. For you to say to get on with it shows that you are out of touch with Pukapuka and do not support your own people, because as you know real Wale always support each other no matter what the percent! I know who you are and if you think you are going to get your pay, no way! Don’t make me expose your and your unfinished contracts.

Makirere Poila

President for the Pukapuka Community, Rarotonga