By JOE GURINA
CHIEF Justice Sir Gibbs Salika has urged the national government to release its full funding appropriated for the year to complete the Waigani Court House complex by the end of the year.
He said they have not yet received the full funding of K70 million appropriated for the year, hence slowing down the work progress.
However, Sir Gibbs is adamant that the left wing of the complex is set to be completed by July and August with the remaining funding that they have.
“Hopefully by the end of the year, the building might be completed and we might start moving next year or depending on whether the K70 million is released.
“If they give us the money right up front, then, we can manage the money on a monthly basis and give portions of say K10 or K20 million to the contractor to carry on the project,’’ he said.
He said one of the challenges that a contractor working on the project is to purchase expensive equipment direct from Europe to be installed in the building.
He said the equipment is neither in Australia nor New Zealand. He said it is only appropriate that the money is released and the required amount of money is given to the contractor to speed up the process of purchasing and shipment of the equipment.
Sir Gibbs said there will be a lot of management involved in allocating the workforce to their respective office space which will be done in stages.
He said the construction phase on the K60 million Wewak Court House in East Sepik is dragging with similar issue faced with funding constrains.