Village Councils urged to register as companies to access larger infrastructure contracts

Indigenous village councils are being encouraged to consider registering as companies to qualify for government contracts exceeding the current legal threshold of $5 million for community participation projects.

At this year’s National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill made the proposal in response to Indigenous leaders who requested that their communities take on contracts themselves.

“…why not give us, just like how you give the communities that were building roads, why not give us the contract? We will do it.

“We can find some contractors, and we know people who can do it too,” Russian Dorrick, the Toshao who represents the communities of Yupukari, Fly Hill, Quatata, and Kaicumbay in Region Nine said.

Minister Edghill explained that for the villages to benefit from such contracts, two things can happen: “We will have to amend the law or the regulation to raise the threshold so that you can execute jobs that are more than $5 million as a village, or we have village councils who can register as a company.

“Then we will be able to engage, and it has been something that we have been contemplating,” Edghill said.

Referencing recent road works done in Region Eight, Minister Edghill said the contracts had to be split in several lots for the villages to benefit from the contracts.

“We would have had to give you several contracts in lots as against giving one contract, and we would like to continue to work with you, so we would have to find a mechanism,” Edghill said.

A major concern raised at the conference this year was the building of new roads, bridges for easier access to remote communities and also improve the lives of citizens.

But, Toshao of Katoka, Archer Moses urged that the government look into the long-term and sustainable development of these roads.

“My recommendation to Public Works, is that the road be built with asphalt so that this can be a long-term solution to the road problems,” Moses said.

He posited that at future NTC conferences, “we cannot be talking about road in a forum like this” if it is constructed properly.

Acknowledging the importance of maintaining infrastructure, Minister Edghill called for cooperation from the villages especially during the rainy season.

“Our roads can last longer if the vehicles, particularly the trucks just stop when there is a heavy downpour and allow the water to drain before they continue. If we use the vehicles on the road with the water on the road, the vehicles coming behind are trouble, because the trucks will damage it,” Edghill explained, adding that it is also the responsibility of the villages to ensure the roads are maintained.