FCC issues default notice against contractor
Chakalisa Dube | Monday December 6, 2021 06:00
The notice is aimed at compelling the company to remedy its breach and if it fails, further action which might include termination of the lease, may be taken.
Nearly two years ago the council leased the school to a local company, Nepal Medical College Journal (NMCJ) International, for a period of 25 years.
The company committed to turning the facility into a modern private school, particularly a hospitality college and a boutique hotel boasting conferencing, retail and recreational facilities.
“The contractor for the redevelopment of the Old Tatitown Primary School at Council Plot 1134 has failed to cooperate with the Council to address issues that hamper the progress of the project,” Francistown mayor, Godisang Radisigo said before adding that the council will soon issue a default notice in line with the contract signed with NMCJ.
He was addressing a full council meeting this week. Radisigo did not explicitly state factors that have hampered the refurbishment of the school by the contractor.
The recent remarks by the mayor will come as a shock to many because in June, this year he told an ordinary full council meeting that plans to develop the school by NMCJ were slowly taking shape.
“The company awarded the (redevelopment) lease has indicated that staff recruitment for the planned hospitality college and a boutique hotel will commence on July 1, 2021, and the enrollment or operations shall be in January 2022,” Radisigo told the council in June.
In his June address, he further said that due to the delays in progress of redevelopment works as per the schedule of works initially submitted by NMCJ, the FCC has requested a revised schedule of works incorporating maintenance and construction (of the planned hospitality school) from the former.
The revised schedule was submitted to the council on June 10, 2021, he told the FCC ordinary council meeting of June.
The council has always had problems with contractors who lease its properties, but later on become reluctant to honor the conditions of their respective lease agreements. In 2018, the council terminated a lease agreement, for the central market plot, that it had with Equality Properties.
The contract was terminated due to ‘lack of performance on the part of equality. The council had initially issued a default notice before proceeding with the termination.
The FCC leased the market facility to Equality Properties towards the beginning of 2004. Under the lease agreement, Equality Properties was supposed to refurbish the market and turn it into a new state-of-the-art Central Business District (CBD). When terminating the lease, FCC authorities said that the company showed lack of commitment towards developing the plot. The lease for redevelopment of the market plot has since been given to another company, which is expected to start developments soon.
The Old Tati Town school was closed in 2004 and relocated from Bluetown to Gerald Estate in the same year. It was closed on account of safety reasons because it was located near a river. The school has become an eyesore to many because of its dilapidated state. The facility is also a safe haven for criminals.