Kramer signs contract for health facilities assessment

Engineering company Kramer Ausenco Vanuatu has been selected by the Government of Vanuatu to carry out the assessment work on 44 health facilities in the country damaged by Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Pam

in March 2015.

On Tuesday the contract for the work valued at Vt16.7 million was signed by the Minister of Health, Toara Daniel, and Country Manager of Kramer Ausenco, Jay Jameson in Port Vila.

Kramer’s job will be to do assessments on all the damaged facilities including providing costing and material listings before contractors bid for the works.

The Minister of Health said it was now over 18 months after Cyclone Pam brought destruction to Vanuatu especially the islands of the southern provinces of Shefa and Tafea, and the country was grateful to donor partners and NGOs for continuing to assist the government in the reconstruction phase.

He thanked the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that has given Vt555-million from the Cyclone Pam Recover Program Fund for the work. Part of the funding for the work of Vt123 million has gone to Ambae company Vanuatu Hardware based in Santo to supply building material for the work on all the 44 health facilities to be renovated, and the contract was signed last week.

“The Ministry of Health faced many challenges at that time leaving many under tents and some are still operating under tents today.

“The government was not able to deal with all the facilities that were damaged but with this program now underway some of these facilities have been renovated and are back operating under renovated houses, but the majority of the facilities remain unrepaired.”

He congratulated Kramer for being selected to carry out the scope of work on all the facilities to be covered under the program so that contractors can go and carry out the construction works.

“Because time is moving fast, Kramer’s work will be important because based on their work decisions will be made on which facilities to work on first and so on. Government wants this work to be done as soon as possible to repair all the damaged health facilities.

“Because it is nearing another cyclone season, there is a reminder to rebuild and to rebuild better for contractors to consider,” Minister Toara Daniel instructed.

Facilities costing over Vt5 million must go through the tenders board and those project below Vt5 million the Minister would like local contractors to be considered for these jobs, as it is the government’s wish to assist local companies and local carpenters.

Director General of the Ministry of Health, George Taleo, said the signing committing Kramer to carry out scoping/assessment work would assist the Ministry of Health and the Government of Vanuatu roll out the infrastructure improvement under the Cyclone Pam Infrastructure Recovery Program on health facilities damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in March 2015 funded by DFAT.

“It has taken a while, but I believe that now all the processes for the work to progress are now clear after having passed through the government process of the Development Committee of Officials (DCO), Council of Minister and the Central Tenders Board,” he added.

Kramer’s Country Manager, Jay Jameson said Kramer was fully committed with resources to assist the country and they looked forward to achieving some of the goals in front of everyone.

“Kramer has long invested in Vanuatu having been present here for 32 years and we are fully committed to Vanuatu.”

Jamseon said he was here when the cyclone hit and he could appreciate force and the magnitude of what had happened particularly in the remote place when there were not much resource around to assist at the time.

“It’s taken a little while to get to here but I think we’ve got some pretty ambitious deadlines to achieve ahead of us all and I thank you for selecting Kramer.”