New Zealand authorities face backlash over its handling of the post-quake clean up operation.
Contractors waiting to start demolition work in central Christchurch say the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) contract process has pushed them to the edge of revolt.
“Everyone has almost got to the stage of saying `stick it up your a…’. They are putting things in our way all the time and don’t explain what the process is,” a prominent Christchurch contractor said.
“We are told we are not allowed to be the main contractor, and we’ve already signed up clients as the main contractor. Then we can’t do anything until they give us a contract, and they can’t give us a contract until they have a formal financial agreement between them and the property owner and insurer.”
The contractor did not want to be named for fear of reprisals for upsetting Cera.
Some property owners have also been frustrated.
However, one said Cera’s involvement, unwelcome at the time, had resulted in a saving of about a third of the original demolition price, which he had been on the verge of accepting.
Cera had decided it needed to control his demolition work and obtained its own quotes. Cera charged 8 per cent for supervising the contract, he said. Cera has commissioned Auckland contract management firm RCP to handle demolition on its behalf.
This latest clash comes on the eve of an announcement over the demolition of the Hotel Grand Chancellor which, DemolitionNews understands, will not involve an implosion, despite contractors’ expressed safety concerns over deconstruction methods.
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