Work on Barwa’s Sailiya project set to resume soon: official
Originally published in Gulf Times on July 7, 2009
After being halted for months, work on the Barwa Housing Programme (BHP) Sailiya will resume next week, a senior official at the real estate firm said yesterday.
The company said it will push for the completion of project, originally slated for handover in July, by signing new contracts directly with subcontractors.
BHP Sailiya, 95% of which has been completed, will now be delivered to tenants before the year-end, Hitmi bin Ali al-Hitmi, the vice-chairman of Barwa Real Estate, said.
Gulf Times earlier reported that some 50 subcontractors to the main contractor, Panceltica Qatar, owed dues to the tune of QR120mn, after payments were stopped in November 2008, forcing the companies to start filing for bankruptcies.
Panceltica Qatar had been the main contractor for BHP Mesaimeer (handed over to tenants on March 1) as well as the BHP Sailiya before running into what sources explained as “breaking down of talks on contract variations.”
“We have terminated the construction contract with BHP Sailiya main contractor (Panceltica) and have received the project as it is,” al-Hitmi said, adding, “It has also been decided to immediately pay for all financial receivables (certified invoices) from the main contractor to their subcontractors from the project budget.”
The officials noted that new main contractor(s) will be appointed while urging the subcontractors to ‘fully co-operate’ with it in order to deliver the residential units to all the beneficiaries as soon as possible.
“Let’s not forget that BHP has a humanitarian foundation. Our priority is to finish the project as early as possible and hand over houses to the beneficiaries without further delay,” al-Hitmi said.
When asked whether Barwa would go ahead with buying out Panceltica Qatar as previously hinted, al-Hitmi said: “There is an offer (by us) … there’s no response yet.”
As of January, Barwa has 20% stake in Panceltica.
Panceltica Qatar officials fled Qatar in March, according to media reports.
To another question the official said that the unique BHP initiative, offering cheaper and affordable housing to residents of Qatar, will not stop after Sailiya.
Built on two separate plots, with total area of 2,00,000sq m each and built-up area of 1,58,000sq m in West Sailiya and Mesaimeer, BHP offered close to 2,000 two- and three-bedroom apartments.
The subcontractors, meanwhile, confirmed yesterday that they have been contacted by Barwa.
As Published
