$31M govt projects completed in 2008, $12.9M pending

More than $31 million in government construction projects were completed in 2008, while over $12.9 million more are still pending close out, latest documents obtained from the Department of Public Works show.

The biggest of the completed projects were the close to $18.7 million 344-bed prison building in Susupe, the $4.9 million Tinian High School phase 2 construction, and the $2.4 million rehabilitation of the Rota East Harbor.

Public Works Secretary Diego B. Songsong said the release of the latest list of construction projects completed, as well of those still pending, should give the public an idea of the amount and types of government projects that have long been in the planning stages but were finally completed last year.

“We’re working to close out those pending projects,” he added.

Data shows 37 completed projects last year, and 25 pending ones.

Most or 28 of the completed projects were on Saipan, totaling $22.559 million.

Besides the $18,619,854 Susupe prison built by Telesource CNMI Inc., the other biggest Saipan projects include:

$790,329.62, for the supply and delivery of fire alarms for public schools by Western Pacific Electric;

$416,747, for the construction of a new Department of Lands and Natural Resources laboratory and warehouse by Pacific Cooperation;

$408,468, for the demolition and construction of the Women, Infant and Children Clinic by USA Fanter Corp; and

$355,734.88, for the construction of the Dandan Community Park (phase 1) by Maeda Pacific Corp.

On Tinian, only three projects were completed in 2008:

– the $4,948,079.52 construction of Tinian High School by AIC Marianas Inc.;

– the $218,870 construction of the brown tree snake laboratory by Tropex Garden Ltd.; and

– the $104,194.70 design for the Route 201 construction by EM Chen & Associates.

Two more are still pending close out—a $505,627.31 payment to a Tinian project manager (William S. Hofschneider, consultant), and the $76,365 architectural and engineering design services for the Student Services Center at the Northern Marianas College campus on Tinian by TRA.

Rota saw the completion of six projects in 2008. The biggest ones were:

– the $2,433,472.09 Rota East Harbor rehabilitation by GPPC Inc.;

– the $385,720 construction of the Rota High School JROTC building drill pad by Pacific Cooperation; and

-the $189,818.88 Rota Fire Station roof hardening by DK Brothers.

Earlier, Songsong disclosed that DPW is poised to award over $5.57 million worth of contracts for seven long-awaited projects that include a $2.788 million road construction on Rota and the Marpi public cemetery.