As reported by Xabia Al Dia earlier….
The works of the Javea Auditorium have been stopped now for over month. After a promising start during January and February, the contractors, Joca Ingeniería y Construcciones, have decided to cease work and start pressing for an increase the budget.
They have informed local media, XAD, that they regret “the evident delay this has to the building of the municipal auditorium theatre” and “that the construction company will not comply with the schedule of deadlines presented to the construction management” .
This underlines something that the neighbours of the area have verified, namely that no work has been done since March and there are no operators working in the area. According to the city council this is due to the “changes that the company has suggested regarding the initial project, all aimed at increasing the budget or its profit margin”.
It should be noted that Joca was awarded the work with a reduction of 900,000 euros on the bid price of 3.3 million euros, this company opted to run it at 2.4 million.
There has been no formal withdrawal of the company
Municipal sources acknowledge that, although the construction company has not formally notified that it is going to desist from the work, the current feelings are negative and generate serious doubts in the municipal government. The Councilor for Culture, Quico Moragues, has been particularly effected by the blockade of the theater auditorium, a building in which both the corporation and a large part of the public had much enthusiasm and which is a very important project for Javea.
Moragues wanted to express his regret for the lack of responsibility that the company is demonstrating in this project and plans to convene the Culture Council to inform them of how the situation is evolving.
All in all, Quico Moragues does not completely close the door on the City Council and hopes to reach an agreement in the coming weeks – without putting in any extra money or lowering the quality of the project – and the works will be resumed.
Finally, note that the City can not act hastily at this time since it is the law that specifies the steps and deadlines to be followed in this type of situation, both when awarding and to cancelling a contract. However, the same sources assure that an exhaustive follow-up of the company’s procedures is being carried out and all necessary means will be used to defend the interests of the local population, as well as to demand the corresponding responsibilities.
And what does the company say?
Given this, Xabia al Dia tried to contact yesterday with JOCA to collect their version of the facts, but they did not recieive a response.
