The new $2.6 million tala Samoa Housing Corporation land and building located at Matafele, opposite their old office location was dedicated yesterday.
Minister of Public Enterprises, Leatinuu Wayne Sooialo said that for this specific project, the Government’s procurement process was not adhered and it was not easy to convince Cabinet to approve the purchase, Talamua reported.
Leatinuu said the SHC did not follow the normal Government procurement process regarding large investments but in the process half a million.
During the opening Leatinuu said the total cost of the property SHC purchased was $2.6m and the intended cost of the building including all materials came to $2.2m.
However, the final cost of the building came down to $1.5m. He commended the SHC Board and Management that despite not following the processes, they had the insight to push the project through which not only saved a substantial amount of money but secured a property of their own.
The Chairman of the SHC Board Tuilaepa Eti Faaolotoi said the process is long and SHC had secured a great deal with the owners of the land and house.
“We informed the Minister that we would not get a better offer like the $2.6 m we secured and we have to take it,” said Tuilaepa.
The Corporation has been searching for an appropriate space for 18 years and they were not going to miss a good opportunity such as the one presented to them.
Not wanting to lose the deal with the land owners, the Board and Management decided to move fast and bypass all processes and handed everything to Leatinu’u to be presented to Cabinet.
According to Tuilaepa, the previous HRPP Government offered SHC the RSA building and land next to the Nelson Memorial Library for $60 million to build a 7-storey building which will be owned by SHC.
“The Board and SHC management considered the offer and declined, but the Government was ready to build a 7-storey building,” said Tuilaepa.
The Chairman emphasized that SHC did not need a 7 storey building to operate from and their priority was to safeguard their client’s assets and money and not spent on such an expensive project such as a seven-storey building.
