The Chin State Development Affairs, Electric Power and Industry Minister, Salai Izzac Khin said: “We will first look at their work competence. Then, we will look at the ownership of each company. Lastly, we will look at local companies as necessary and give them contracts. The main factor is to have [companies that are] competent in their work.”

The Chin State Government will regularly inspect the work of companies carrying out Chin Government contracts and companies will have to ensure that any work not up to standard is redone to standard at the companies’ own expense.

Those companies that still fail to produce work of the required standard will have action taken against them.

The previous Chin State Government invited tenders for building roads, bridges, government buildings and drainage pipes during the 2015 to 2016 financial year. The companies who won the contracts have been carrying out the work over the past year, but some of the work has not been up to standard.

However, an official from a local company said that because some of the budgets allocated by the Chin State Government are so low it would be difficult for companies to produce work to the standard the government wants.

The official, from the Yi Pan Thitsar Company said: “Some projects are not up to standard. This happens because the authorities set the budget without doing field surveys of the projects before putting them out to tender.

Some projects in remote areas with bad roads and communications could not be carried out due to transportation issues and high commodity prices.

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI