Ads by Google Ads by Google

Change order reason for delay in renovation of Amouli Health Center

Photo of Amouli Health Center
This according to Motusa Tuileama Nua during his confirmation hearing
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — It was the high cost of the “change order’ from the construction company doing the repairs for the Amouli Health Center that caused the delay to the work, according to Motusa Tuileama Nua during his House hearing for confirmation as Dept. of Health director.

He said however, after many meetings and negotiations between himself, as director of DoH, and the director of the Public Works and their staff, the change order was approved and the renovation work is now continuing.

Samoa News notes the name of the construction company was not mentioned in the House confirmation hearing for Motusa.

It was in the middle of the confirmation hearing when Rep. Lua’itaua Gene Pan questioned Motusa on the status of the Amouli Health Center and the reason why the renovation work has been on hold for many months now.

Lua’itaua informed Motusa that this is the same issue raised by Rep. Lavea Fatulegaee P. Mauga of Vaifanuatele District a few weeks ago because people from the eastern district are still facing the problem of no health center service for them when they need it.

Motusa explained that it was five months ago when the work was awarded to the winning bid with the price of $130,000 to do the work. He stated that it was Public Works that hired the construction company to do the renovation work. However, the work was halted after the company submitted a change order with the cost of $180,000, which is much higher than the original price for the project.

Motusa said that after DoH received the change order from the company, he was advised by his staff that they were going to restart the whole process and rebid the work because of the situation with the change order. However, after meetings and negotiations with the crew from Public Works, he was later informed that the construction company had agreed to reduce the change order to $160,000.

He reviewed the paperwork for the change order and finally approved it. Motusa said the construction company has now been told to continue with the renovation work and he was told the work will be completed within three months.

When asked about the name of the construction company who is doing the work, Motusa said he doesn’t know the name of the company. He was only told that the company is owned by a gentleman from Fagasa, and it’s a painting company.

Lua’itaua laughed and said it’s no wonder why the construction work for the Health Center in Amouli is delayed because a painting company is doing construction work.

Samoa News notes that the scope of the change order is not discussed: whether it’s for an additional $160,000 of work, on top of the original $130,000, totaling $290,000 for the renovation, or if it’s $160,000 total, adding $30,000 more to the original job.

BACKGROUND

Two weeks ago, Vaifanuatele Representative, Lavea Fatulegaee P. Mauga asked for committee hearings for the Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Safety regarding the problems people living in the eastern district are facing.

Lavea said that for years people living in the eastern district have faced the problem of no hospital service, as the Amouli Health Center has been under construction for many years and the construction work is still not completed.

“We need a hospital with nurses and doctors for people living on the eastern side of this island,” Lavea said, adding, “If someone from Onenoa or Tula needed medical attention, it would only take 15 minutes to drive from their house to the Amouli hospital.”

As the territory is preparing for the event of positive cases of coronavirus that may enter our shores, Lavea pointed out that a hospital in Amouli would be a helpful place for people living on the eastern side.