Editor,

RE: "Contractors should know that tenders are won on merit” (The New Times, September 9).

Obviously we would prefer to have both right now. But if that is impossible for now, then it depends on what Rwandans want to give precedence to, giving opportunities to local engineering and infrastructure construction firms or reliable and quality infrastructure.

All things being equal, I have no doubt we would all want to give preferential treatment to Rwandan firms for a wide range of reasons, but that cannot be at the expense of ensuring reliable infrastructure to serve the wider Rwandan public and to support overall economic development.

Mwene Kalinda