Controversy looms over awarding of major contracts by Govt
This was the sentiment of one of several frustrated contractors, who are accusing Government of manipulating the contract system for the benefit of their friends or foreign companies.
One of the latest contracts drawing suspicion of unfair play is for the supply of an Asphalt Batch Plant to Public Works Department (PWD).
According to the contractors who supplied documents to Virgin Islands News Online to support their arguments, six bids for the supply of the Asphalt Batch Plant were received: Quality Air Condition and Refrigeration (VI) $2, 250, 000.00; Rimco (Puerto Rico) $2, 350, 000.00; W&W Reliable Construction (VI) $1, 2000, 000.00; CNH Construction (VI) $575, 000.00; Anytime Construction (VI) $965, 000.00 and GDM Lindex (UK) $1, 423, 900.00
It was noted that on January 29, 2013 during the opening of the bids, the company GDM Lindex Limited was deemed nonresponsive for not providing Certificates of Good Standing, Trade License and a Training Plan.
Surprisingly for the contractors, however, they were later informed by the Ministry of Finance via email in a letter dated February 22, 2013 that following the opening of the bids the Central Tenders Board further reviewed each of the tenders and discovered that the training plan for GDM Lindex was in fact included within the documents submitted by the company, and that in this regard an error was made.
“In this meeting [opening of bids], there were representatives from the Attorney General’s Chamber, Public Works Department and the Ministry of Finance, and there were about ten officials there looking over those bids and they did not find this document in question. How come now, a month later, they find this document after the bids would have been evaluated by these people?” the contractor questioned.
Additionally, the document sent to the contractors stated that “the Central Tenders Board has accepted the GDM Lindenx Limited, being a foreign company, could not submit the certificates of Good Standing and Trade License required under the present wording of the Tender document. The Central Tenders Board determined that the omission of certificates of Good Standing and Trade License by GDM Lindex would not be deemed to be a substantial default in this case where the tender document did not go further to require that a company, which was not incorporated or established in the Territory should submit other documents in place of these.”
“I can’t understand why they would be fighting for this foreign company when they does be saying about locals must be given work. Furthermore, this company has one of the highest bids and I can recall Minister [name given] saying on television that he had a million dollars for this project...they saying the company been doing jobs here for the past 40 years. I never hear they doing anything thing for the community...”
Further, the contractors said what they also found strange and suspicious is that at the opening of the bids there was a particular woman [Govt official, name given] who was allegedly fighting for GDM Lindex’s bid to be approved. “And there was a bid from a BVI company that was nearly a million dollars less than the company from England but I did not hear her fighting for that bid to be approved. I think it is obvious who they want to give this bid to but we are not taking this lightly any longer.”
Another contractor said he has been denied contracts for less and it is indeed unfair that an “outside bid” seems to be treated more favourably than others. “This is madness, not a tax dollar, social security the BVI will get if this company is given the contract. Further, even the work force may be brought in so how is this fair to BVIslanders. If Lindex get this contract I am sending this issue to the English media that had put info about Financial Services...”
“Even the other day there was a contract to do work on a school in Baugher’s Bay and all of us put in bids but just to ensure that their friends get a piece of the contract they divided the jobs, just so that a neighbour of a minister, a contractor who never build anything in his life, could get a contract,” the contractor further claimed.
One contractor said it was unfair that Government was allowing people to submit bids when they seemed to already know who they would award a contract to.
“Don’t tell us to send bids so you could take our money and then give the contract to who you feel like. It is a lot of money we have to spend to put these bids together,” he said.
Virgin Islands News Online was able to make contact with Procurement Coordinator Mrs Ishma Rhymer of the Procurement Unit who said she could not comment on an a process that has not been completed and when it is the person to speak to would be the Deputy Financial Secretary.
“The process is not completed, it is half way there so to pre-empt it, as what it is, I can’t speak to that. The final decision rests with Cabinet, I hear you, and I guess you need a story, but I can’t comment on that when a decision has not been made,” Mrs Rhymer stated.
Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Finance, through the Director of Communications Ms Arliene T. Penn and Financial Secretary Mr Neil Smith, were not successful.
All major contracts are required to go through a bidding process and are evaluated by the Tender Board. The Board makes a recommendation to Cabinet, who has the final say on who the contract is awarded to.
Virgin Islands News Online was informed that the contract for the supply of the Asphalt Batch Plant also includes assembling of the plant and training of workers to operate it.
It is not yet clear where the new plant would be installed.
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65 Responses to “Controversy looms over awarding of major contracts by Govt”
It will always be unfair to the man who didn't get the contract. Pure bull.... if you ask me. They talking nonsense about crony. Whether or not a man is a supporter of a party, if he is local HE IS LOCAL! People will find a reason to complain regardless. Local so called contractors have cost this country HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS over the past 10yrs and look at the place. It's high time we get qualified people from overseas to fix the place and do it right in one go. What the hell we waiting on? For the past 10yrs the same local being paid over and over to be contractor, manager, consultant over and over again on the Sewage project. What is the current status? Another big mess again. Local my a$$. Give the jobs to whoever qualified whether they from here or not and make sure they put up bonds so if they play the a$$ we got something to hold on to. Stop playing games.
particular woman [Govt official, name given] who was allegedly fighting for GDM Lindex’s bid to be approved
Name Names. What's the fear?//
like if murders and rapist and thieves cannot be christian ....
eg HITLER ----