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New DBAS building passes final inspection

The Department of Public Works conducted a final inspection of the new Development Bank of American Samoa (DBAS) building yesterday and the Certificate of Occupancy, which is being processed, will be issued the day the new office building is dedicated.

 

Yesterday’s inspection included a walk-through of the new facility with two DBAS representatives, project engineer Daniel Wentworth and project manager Joe Weilenman. Not a single DBAS board member was present, neither was the Acting DBAS president, who those close to the project say, “should have been there”.

 

According to a Samoa News source, everything at the new DBAS facility is ready and structurally, the new building was fully completed last month, save for a few minor details that needed to be ironed out.

 

DBAS Board Chairman Senator Saoluaga Nua was quoted by another local news source earlier this week saying that DBAS will enforce a $300 a day penalty on the contractor, Paramount Builders, for the company’s failure to complete the work within the time period specified in the contract. He was also quoted as saying that the money will be deducted from the company’s final payment.

 

It was DBAS vice chairman Rep. Iaulualo Talia Faafetai who informed the owner of Paramount Builders, Papalii Laulii Alofa of the bank’s decision to impose the $300 a day penalty earlier this year. In his letter to Papalii, the DBAS vice chairman said the penalty would be assessed from March 17 until such time that the building is completed.

 

Paramount Builders officials told Samoa News yesterday that the reason for the delay was due to several change orders that were made by the previous DBAS board, change orders that were not in the original scope of work.

 

Delays were also caused by the need to relocate underground utilities at the construction site. 

 

The issue regarding the $300 per day penalty seems to be something known only to the DBAS board members. When contacted for comments yesterday, Paramount Builders’ project manager Daniel Wentworth said their company has done nothing less than build a building that is one of the best ones in the territory.

 

“This issue regarding the penalty is news to me,” he said. “We have done everything they’ve asked us to and I believe we did a very good job, considering that we were working on a tight schedule and there were several changes that were made which attributed to the extension of the time frame.”

 

When asked if there was a specific date by which they were supposed to complete the building, Wentworth said, “It was basically a moving target,” adding that changes always result in additional time needed to carry everything out.

 

He said the only thing left for them to do is install a handrail on the staircase, something that should be completed by today.

 

 “This thing about us being penalized is groundless,” Wentworth said, “It could be seen as a political maneuver because there is no grounds for it.”

 

He continued, “Our guys are over there stroking on the final brush strokes and polishing the stainless steel so we can wrap everything up like a big present. This building has set the standard and it is definitely one of the best I’ve seen on island.”

 

Samoa News contacted DBAS project manager Joe Weilenman to obtain his thoughts on the penalty and even he said he didn’t know anything about it. When asked if he thought Paramount Builders had “slacked off” on the job, Weilenman responded, “I don’t believe they did,” adding that some of the delays were caused by the fact that certain building materials that had to be shipped in from off island didn’t arrive on time.

 

He declined to comment further, only saying that the matter could be something that only the DBAS board members are aware of.

 

Efforts by Samoa News to contact DBAS Acting President Ruth Matagi-Faatili were unsuccessful as of press time yesterday.

 

The new DBAS building is constructed at the same site where their former office was located, prior to the 2009 earthquake and tsunami that completely damaged the structure.

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is funding the project to the tune of $3 million, up from the original price tag of $2.6 million that increased due to several change orders.

 

The new DBAS building is a two-story structure that is elevated mainly because the area is prone to flooding. The ground floor (which is elevated to nearly seven feet) will be open and used for parking while the top floor will house the bank's operations and employees. The new building is a modern, stateside structure that features an elevator on the west side and spacious office spaces.

 

Once you step off the elevator or come up the stairs, you will first reach the reception desk that is next to a teller booth. Loan offices are sectioned off to one side of the building while the President’s office faces the road.

 

Except for the concrete, all the materials for the project had to be shipped in from off-island, based on the specifications called for in the project plan.