TNDDA ORDERED TO PAY FOR MAINTAINANCE

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA

A National Court in Waigani has ordered Tambul-Nebilyer District Development Authority (TNDDA) and its Chief Executive Officer to pay, prolonged outstanding bills of a local contractor engaged more than five-years ago to carried our emergency infrastructure works back in the district.

A.J.J Bros Limited, a company that was engaged to undertake emergency rehabilitation and maintenance works along the Tomba–Tambul link and Nebilyer Bridge in Western Highlands Province has taken the matter to Court after it was not settled for the past years.

The handshake agreement reportedly included emergency pothole patching, bridge and general maintenance and pavement rehabilitation, worth at around K1.948 million.

However, the Court later found that before the contract was awarded to the mentioned contractor back in 2017, there was no formal basis of agreement or documents signed, yet the works were continued and delivered solely on a verbal agreement between the parties.

Presiding judge Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi heard the matter, intervening to gave both parties and their legal counsels, a moment to negotiate the matter outside of the Court for a minute, before Consent Orders were issued to the TNDDA and its boss Philip Talpa final Court-endorsed

In the Consent Orders, Deputy Chief Justice Kandakasi ordered the defendant to pay K500 000 by or before the 8th of June 2026, within 14-days from the date of Consent Order was issued.

The Court also asked TNDDA and CEO Talpa to pay the balance of K1 448 760 in an instalment, where the payments will start on the 8th of June 2026, where both parties agreed that first instalment payment due on the 8th of December 2026.

Deputy Chief Justice Kandakasi further noted the agreement between the parties that the interest as per the Order of the Court on 31st July 2025 (previous Court decision) stands at K106.78 per day, hence interests will be calculated and paid in full until full settlement of the judgement sum.
The costs to be taxed.