Even so, in response to a Mmegi questionnaire this week, the public relations officer in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology (MIST), Malepa Dibonwa, said the process of finding a replacement contractor was at an advanced stage. Dibonwa said the first phase of tendering, which involved shortlisting potential contractors, had been concluded and that the ministry was in the process of inviting shortlisted contractors.In a previous interview, he had said his ministry intended to have all outstanding work completed on or before March 31, 2014. However, this week he would not commit to any schedule.
"The actual start and completion dates of these works will be known once the completion contractor is appointed as they are all subject to the tendering process," he said.The search for a replacement contractor came about after government terminated the contract of Sinohydro in July last year following delays in completion of the P550 million project that was originally scheduled for completion in May 2010. At the time of termination of the contract, Sinohydro had completed approximately 90 percent of the project and had been paid P527 million.
