The contractor will begin to pay wage arrears to the builders of Osh — Batken — Isfana road from July 30, 2018. The Ministry of Transport and Roads reported.
It is noted that the road reconstruction project (75-108 kilometers) is financed by the Islamic Development Bank. IDB allocates $ 21.32 million for these purposes, the share of co-financing of the Kyrgyz government is $ 2.44 million. The total cost of the project is estimated at $ 23.76 million.
It is planned to finance construction works and consulting services for the rehabilitation of 33.8 km of the project site in Batken region from Karavan village to Kok-Talaa village under the loan agreement with the Islamic Development Bank.
In November 2015, a contract on consulting services was signed between the Ministry of Transport and the company Spectrum Engineering Consultants SARL (Lebanon) for technical supervision over the construction. And in May 2017, a contract on construction work with the company Alke Insaat Sanayi and Ticaret AS for $ 18.25 million was signed.
«The Ministry of Transport and Roads timely fulfilled all contractual obligations. The Islamic Development Bank paid the contractor an advance payment of $ 1.82 million. In addition, $ 1.23 million was paid to the contractor for the work done,» the report says.
At the same time, the Ministry of Transport and Roads has been trying to solve the problem with payment of salaries to workers since the beginning of July. So, on July 5, 2018 a meeting was held with the participation of representatives of the Islamic Development Bank, the Ministry of Transport, the consultant and the contractor. The contractor undertook to submit a schedule for the repayment of the existing debts, primarily wage arrears. Otherwise, termination of the contract may threaten the company.
In addition, Transport Minister Zhamshitbek Kalilov held a meeting on July 21, 2018 at the construction site. The contractor was once again reminded of the need to pay off debts to the workers.
According to the information of the contractor and the bank document submitted by him, on July 25, 2018 the company Alke Insaat Sanayi and Ticaret AS transferred money to the account of the contractor in Bishkek. «The contractor has committed to begin paying off the debts from July 30, 2018. At present, the subcontracted organizations are involved in work and carry out construction work according to the approved schedule,» the Ministry of Transport concluded.
