BAGHDAD — Iraqi military projects have been stymied by the refusal
of contractors to work in insurgency-ridden areas.
Officials said the Defense Ministry has been unable to conduct tenders
for projects for the Iraq Army in such provinces as Anbar. They said most
contractors dismiss the opportunity to develop infrastructure and other
projects in areas where their staffers and assets would be under threat
from Al Qaida insurgents, Middle East Newsline reported.
"One of the most difficult parts of the job is the contracting process,"
Safa Shihab, the director of infrastructure at the Defense Ministry, said.
Shihab cited a project for the construction of housing for the Iraq Army
in Anbar, regarded as the hotbed of the Sunni insurgency. He said the
contract could not be awarded because of an insufficient number of bidders.
"For instance, in Al Anbar province, which is a very hot area, I have a
project to establish accommodations for the soldiers in one of our camps
there," Shihab said. "Iraqi law states that in order to do this project,
three companies should come forward to compete for the work. Because it is a
hot area, sometimes we cannot, and only one company comes forward to bid
on the project."
Officials said the Defense Ministry has sought to remedy the situation
by enabling a sole contractor to compete for a project. They said the
exception would be granted only in areas where other contractors refuse to
bid.
"We are now working on exceptions to policy for this," Shihab said.
The Defense Ministry has overseen projects to build facilities for all
arms of the military. Officials said the ministry has drafted a five-year
plan that would begin in 2007.
The infrastructure department has already established the Iraq Navy
headquarters at Umm Qasr in southern Iraq. The department has also
constructed guard towers that protect oil pipelines and expects to complete
a military hospital.
