Saeed Al-Suraihi

Okaz

 

DESPITE decades of awarding and monitoring scores of development projects and stalling many of them after discovering defects, government authorities still lack a blacklist carrying names of contractors and contracting companies. The list should specify which of these contractors and companies did not accomplish the given task and which of them erred and where. Separately, there should be a list of those who did a good job but their projects were stalled for some reason or the other.



The absence of such lists means that there is a lack of cumulative experience in government authorities that can be benefited from when assigning any project to companies and establishments bidding for contracts to carry out specific projects.



It is as if each project is the first and there is no link between the contracting company and the government authority, except the contract and conditions for carrying out the project. There is a chance that the project goes to companies and contractors that did not complete earlier projects assigned to them or defects were discovered after the projects were completed. At the same time, it means that the companies and contractors who proved to be serious in carrying out the projects will be treated on par with those who failed in earlier projects and proved not to be serious, or were negligent and did not execute the projects properly.



It is a sad scenario that scores of projects were awarded to undeserving companies while those who proved to be sincere and serious in their works were deprived of their deserved role in accomplishing other projects.



There is no blacklist of contractors who stalled and failed nor is there another list of those who carried out their work sincerely and perfectly. The Shoura Council is discussing amending the competitions and government purchases regulation.



But, no amendment will succeed in repairing the delay in completion of government projects or defects if the government authorities do not prepare separate lists of contractors carrying out these projects.