TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: Taking strong exceptions to the statement made by officials of Simplex Projects Limited that the dues of the sub-contractors have been held due to non-payment by SAG, SAG Executive Director Sandip Jacques raised suspicion that it could be a strategy by Simplex to cough up the remaining amount from the SAG.
“Simplex was issued work orders of Rs 61.82 crore for the Bambolim athletics stadium and Rs 46.77 crore for the Peddem stadium,” Jacques stated and informed that for the athletics stadium the SAG has paid a sum of Rs 49.55 crore and for the Peddem stadium a sum of Rs 44.38 crore has already been paid to Simplex for the works completed till date.
“Where has all these money gone and why are the sub-contractors not paid till date for works which were completed long back and for which money has already been released by the SAG,” questioned Jacques while suspecting that the company may have diverted the money somewhere else.
“Whenever we received bills, 75 per cent of the money is released immediately and 25 per cent amount is released only after detailed scrutiny of the same,” Jacques said while questioning why there is an issue only with Simplex when contractors who bagged tenders for other stadiums never raised issues about payment.
However, Jacques said that the SAG will not allow Simplex to go scot free and will see to it that the dues of the sub-contractors are paid.
“We will work out a solution within the legal parameters so that the sub-contractors are not cheated, but will not succumb to the so-called ‘strategy’ of Simplex to cough up more money by taking advantage of the situation,” Jacques further warned.
“When some contractors had stopped works on the stadiums due to nonpayment by Simplex, we had intervened and assured them that their dues will be paid,” Jacques said and informed that to keep this word, the SAG is intervening in the matter.
“Last time, we had released money for Simplex on the assurance that they will pay the dues of the sub-contractors, which they have failed to do so,” he further said and added that the SAG has substantial amount of money of Simplex in terms of security deposit and performance guarantee, which can be held back as a last resort.
“Senior officials from Simplex are coming down to Goa and we will sit down with them and work out a solution,” Jacques assured.
