MWH Global Quits Fiji Roads Contract

International engineering consultants, MWH Global, have terminated their road management contract with the Fiji Roads Authority.

This comes exactly a week after MWH engineers, Adam Jackson and Simon Court, were issued removal orders by Government and deported back to New Zealand.

MWH were contracted to oversee a major road network upgrade across the country.

FRA board chairman, Dinesh Patel said the contract termination was entirely at the behest of MWH and that they would take further action.

“FRA considers MWH’s action to be unlawful and will be addressing this conduct as part of the broader, ongoing commercial dispute between MWH and FRA,” he said in an official statement.

Media reports note that this dispute dates back to March over pay issues, though Mr Patel said commercial and contractual matters weren’t discussed with anyone but the affected parties.

In light of the termination, it expects MWH to coordinate a unified transition, with the FRA to take over much of the in-house functions overseen by MWH, as well as advertise for roles.

“The FRA is committed to an open and transparent employment policy based on merit and in that context will consider any application from MWH’s employees affected by MWH’s unilateral decision to terminate the contract, who meet FRA’s requirements,” Mr Patel added.

He said the FRA has put together contingency plans and would ne contracting all contractors in the coming days to explain transitional arrangements.