Interest in $4.2m ‘ghost house’

By Ilia Likou 12 January 2016, 12:00AM

Two local businesses have expressed interest in making good use of a $4.2million government building described by the Opposition as a house “occupied by ghosts.”

While the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell, could not disclose the companies interested in the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C) headquarters at Tuana’imato, he told the Samoa Observer that the companies have very good plans for the building.

“The two are local businesses and they have come up with totally different ideas on utilising the building,” Lautafi said.

“The Board of S.L.C and the lawyers are now working on the documents and the final say will come from Cabinet."

“Hopefully we will have a decision from Cabinet next month. Things are moving but there is no need to rush.”

The multi-million-tala building was re-tendered after talks between the government and a local company failed. In April last year, Cabinet announced that the negotiations to lease the office complex at Faleata Golf Course so that it could be converted to a commercially owned accommodation complex, had reached a deadlock.

A statement from Cabinet at the time said the original tender did not stipulate non-negotiable conditions and that allowed the parties to include issues that were outside the original tender scope in their negotiations.

The government said it had exhausted all options available to accommodate the business proposals.

In the end they could not agree on a compromise decision.

And to that extent, Cabinet approved to re-advertise the tender.

 “These things happen, it is normal in business transactions,” Lautafi said at the time.

“While every effort is made by Government to encourage and assist local business like E.I.L, we have to ensure Government assets are protected."

“The new tender will include specific details, requirements will be very clear on what is on offer and what can be negotiated and what can’t. The tender document will be made very clear to parties involved.”

“This will minimize a repeat of events highlighted during the last tender process negotiations.”

Government’s initial target was for the new hotel to provide accommodation for overseas athletes during the Commonwealth Youth Games last year. Ultimately, the long term vision is to develop the property into an accommodation facility for sports teams taking into account the sporting facilities in the vicinity that includes the Aquatic Center nearby, weightlifting, boxing, hockey stadium, other sporting venues, and of course the Golf Course.

There is also the idea that if everything works well, management of the golf course could be included in the hotel development package, in the future. 

But that will be another process. The Corporation vacated the Tuanaimato premises last year and have since moved their offices to the top floor of the Vaitele Market which had been vacant.

By Ilia Likou 12 January 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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