INTEGRATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES - PAPHOS MUNICIPALITY RE-LAUNCHES THE TENDER

 Filenews 30 September 2020 - by Dora Christodoulou

The Municipality of Paphos finally declared the process of the announcement by itself of the offer for the work of the unification of the archaeological sites of Kato Paphos on August 11th. After the unsatisfactory submission of tenders, the municipal authority re-launched the tender for another 21 days, since in the intervening period according to the Municipality it has been found that there is now strong interest from other bidders to participate in the process.

The re-announcement of the tender procedure in the eProcurement system, is estimated by the municipal authority to be the final stage before the continuation and completion of the large and "very passionate" project in the tourist area of Kato Paphos.

The municipal authority has assumed responsibility for the completion of the project, almost two years after the termination of the contract of the originally selected bidder. Implementing the decisions of the Minister of Transport, the Municipality of Paphos completed the 21st and officially the process of submitting new tenders for the completion of the construction work, which however were declared ineffective.

The continuous delays and problems that have occurred in the last five years at least in the procedures for the promotion of the project, prompted the competent Ministry to approve, in effect, the pressing requirements of the municipal authority and the society of Paphos for the disengagement of the project from the legal and other procedures until then and the re-promotion of the project from the outset with the responsibility this time of the Municipality of Paphos. In this context, Giannis Karousos had announced during his last visit to Paphos that the relevant authority is now undertaking the completion of the project with the re-announcement of the tenders in order for it to be completed soon. The estimated expenditure for the completion of the project is EUR 1.5 million plus VAT.

The project, which was considered to be innovative for Cypriot data, was put on track for implementation through the announcement of the relevant competition in December 2015, under the responsibility of the Department of Public Works. In February 2016 a contract was signed between the Department and the successful bidder and in October of the same year construction work began, but was suspended in May 2018 due to serious problems in the progress of the work.

In January 2019, Public Works undertook the completion of the project through subcontractors, but the work could not proceed productively and was interrupted again in February 2020. Then, after an intervention by mayor Phaedon Phaedon to the new Minister, the Municipality of Paphos claimed and finally succeeded in the assignment of the project to offer it and complete it.