The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S) has terminated a $2.5million* contract with South Pacific Cladding Company to renovate the John Williams building (pictured).
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The decision was conveyed in a letter from the Church addressed to the Director of South Pacific Cladding, Tupuola Patrick Boon, obtained by the Samoa Observer.
Dated 20 October 2015, the letter is signed by three senior church officials, namely the Chairperson of the C.C.C.S, Reverend Elder Tavita Roma, General Secretary of the C.C.C.S, Reverend Dr. Uili Afereti and the Church’s Treasurer, Reverend Aiafi Wright.
“We acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 19th October 2015 to our legal officer,” the letter reads.
“This letter was in response to your company being informed of the Variation Contract signed 31st August 2015 by representatives of your company and ourselves.
“You have informed us of your wanting to continue with the contract. However, we feel that it is best for this contract to be terminated. The reasons have already been indicated to you by our legal officer as her letter of 19th October 2015.”
Attempts to get a comment from the Church’s General Secretary about the decision were not successful. The Samoa Observer was told by his Secretary that he is on leave.
According to the letter in question though, the matter could end up in Court.
“In your letter dated 19th October 2015, it appears that you cannot return the initial payment of $12,100 nor make payments for liquidated damages as you already committed it for materials for this project.
“Apparently this material will be arriving on the 21st October 2015, we therefore request that these materials be handed over to the church as it is materials that we have paid for and rightfully belongs to us.
“Along with all duty fees, the administration fees and costs of these materials, we insist that these materials once they arrive be given over.
“Your failure to provide us with these materials may force us to take this matter to Court.”
The Samoa Observer also obtained a second letter from the church dated 21 October 2015. Written by the Church’s Legal Officer, Micho Ete-Lima, it was addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of South Pacific Cladding, Tofilau Lupematasila Nanai Misa.
“I write to request that your company removes all your items and goods that is within the Ioane Viliamu Building tomorrow, 22nd October 2015 at 10am,” the letter reads.
“Your failure to remove all your property and goods will be an indication to us that you are willing to leave these items for the C.C.C.S’s use.
“There will be a Police presence to verify that the condition of your items and goods and indeed the condition of the premises were never tampered with during the time that our premises were locked.
“This will also ensure that the removal of your property and goods will be a smooth operation.”
At tempts to get a comment from Tupuola Patrick Chan Boon yesterday were unsuccessful. But in an interview with The Newsline during the weekend, Tupuola said he was surprised by the Church’s decision.
“I was taken by surprise when I was told by one of our company staff, Tofilau Lupematasila Fa’amanu, that the contract has been terminated by the Church.
I told him to abide with the wishes of the Church,” he said.
The decision by the church is the latest development over delays in the project, which should have been completed in November 2014.
During this year’s annual conference, the Chairman of the Church’s Finance Committee, Le Mamea Ropati said the project had exceeded the approved budget from the 2012 annual meeting, which was $2.5million.
“It has now cost us $3 million,” he said.
The renovation contract work started several years ago under the guidance of the former C.C.C.S General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Iutisone Salevao. He could not be contacted for a comment yesterday.
According to Tupuola, the church should be blamed for the delay.
“The company could not install the alucobon sheets within the four months required in the old contract because all the required order of materials were not available to us,” he told Newsline.
“The scaffolding required for the work should have been provided by the Church but it ended up with the company.”
Tupuola also said that other works like the removal of the green metal, which surrounded the building, should have been done by the Church but it was done by his company.
When Tupuola’s company was using the premises, they had other businesses operating at the building including an internet café and a newspaper called Samoa Today.
*$2.5million was the initial price of the contract at the beginning. It could not be ascertained how much it has cost the church since.
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