The last touch to smooth the road at Faleula to Puipa’a using asphalt is underway and is likely to be completed by September. 

It’s been months since road construction works for the Faleula to Puipa’a section of road began and the project has encountered some delays. 

The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Papali’I Niko Lee Hang, said delays are due to the joint venture that was awarded the section of West Coast Road starting works late. 

Silva Transport, Ulia Construction and TN Toleafoa went into joint venture following request from Government to lower requirements from World Bank to allow other companies to  benefit from the multi-billion tala project. 

“The joint venture hasn’t done their work to asphalt the lot,” said Papali’I in an interview with the Samoa Observer. 

“There has been no variation to that lot and the total cost of that section including asphalt is $7.6 million funded by World Bank. 

"The delay has been on the signing of the contract on their part and I suspect there could also be other internal matters between the partnership that has caused the delay.” 

It was not possible to get a comment from the joint venture companies. 

Papali’i said the road works at Faleula to Puipa’a are expected to conclude in September.

In a previous interview with the Chief Executive Officer of the Land Transport Authority, Galumalemana Ta'atialeoitiiti Tutuvanu-Schwalger, she said coronavirus restrictions and the State of Emergency (S.O.E.) lockdown had delayed the road project. 

 “With the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency our country is in, we are facing challenges with all our current road works including the upgrade works at West Coast Road,” said the C.E.O.  

“These include [a] shortage of contractors’ staff turning up due to [the] cessation of bus services [... and] the delay in supply of materials from overseas due to some countries [remaining in] lockdown etc.”