By STANSLOUS NGOSA –

GOVERNMENT has directed Jaguar Overseas Limited, a company engaged to construct 11 health posts in Mufulira to resolve their differences with a sub-contractor before its contract is terminated.
Health deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya said Government had not run short of options to deal with Jaguar Overseas Limited but decided to give the company time to resolve their difference through dialogue.
“But if the contractor does not pull up socks, we will have no choice but to navigate legal channels because we are in hurry to deliver what we promised the people of Zambia,” Dr Chilufya said.
He said Government was watching closely and it would not accept any games or any form of sabotage because the citizenry wanted services to be delivered at an optimal time.
Dr Chilufya said this after inspecting the construction sites of the health posts where he found a slow pace at which the work was being undertaken.
He said the Government would not extend the project time which runs from April 2014 to April next year.
Dr Chilufya said it was Government’s desire to ensure that local contractor’s benefitted from through sub contracting but that Government would not hesitate to terminate contracts if companies failed to meet contractual obligations.
He said engaging sub-contractors was meant to empower indigenous contractors so that they could contribute to growth of the local economy.
Meanwhile, Dr Chilufya said he was impressed that the construction of the K11 million Mufulira District Hospital had started taking shape after a sluggish start.
Dr Chilufya, however, urged the Mercury Line, the contractor engaged in the works to expedite the construction works as Government did not want unnecessary delays to projects.