AFC calls on Public Procurement Commission to probe large contracts issued by Tender Board
Guyana
“The AFC calls on the Public Procurement Commission to conduct a full investigation into the operations of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. Special attention should be paid to the bid evaluation and contract award process,” MP Patterson urged during an AFC press conference on Friday.
Flagging a number of multimillion-dollar contracts awarded since the change in administration in 2020, the Alliance For Change (AFC), today called on the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to launch an investigation into the issuance of contracts by National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
“The AFC calls on the Public Procurement Commission to conduct a full investigation into the operations of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. Special attention should be paid to the bid evaluation and contract award process,” MP Patterson urged during an AFC press conference on Friday.
The $566.9M contract awarded to Kares Engineering Inc. for the construction of the North Ruimveldt Secondary School, in August, was among the “questionable” contracts flagged by the AFC.
A few years ago, Kares Engineering was threatened with legal action over the botched work it had done in constructing the Kato Secondary School.
In 2013, it had secured a $728.1M contract to build the school, but upon ‘completion’ in 2015, the building was found with major defects.
With the company securing another multimillion-dollar contract, MP Patterson wants the PPC to investigate the award.
“The recent award for the rebuilding of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School is yet another example of the questionable evaluation…process arising from NPTAB. One can recall that the last time this contractor was awarded a contract by the Ministry of Education headed by the current Minister [Priya Manickchand], they jointly produce the Kato Secondary School Project – a project so riddled with defects that it was deemed unsafe for occupation,” the AFC Executive pointed out.
He reminded that extensive remedial work had to be done on the Kato Secondary School.
MP Patterson also referenced to the $364M contract awarded to St8ment Investment Inc for the construction of a primary school at Bamia, Region 10 and the $614M contract awarded to Mohammed’s Enterprise for the construction of the new head office of the Guyana Fire Service.
“Commencing August 2020, several contracts have caught the public’s attention, ranging from the award of a school in Region 10 to a company that has no tract record in construction. In fact, the principals of that company are better known for the promotion of sporting and entertaining events. Additionally, the award for the construction of a Fire Station to a company whose main business activity is in the Mining Sector. When questioned about the company’s previous experience, the response was, the successful bidder constructed their own offices. In 2020, the completion of Hunter Street was awarded to a company whose principal previous experience was in the motor racing arena. Once again, when queried, the response was, the successful bidder, previously built roads in the backdam,” MP Patterson said.
He said the public must pay keen attention to the tender process for the Gas-to-Energy Project. He recalled that in January 2022, NPTAB received 12 prequalification bids for the project, yet, on Thursday, companies that did not prequalify, submitted bids. The final award, he said would be interesting.
AFC is in the process of compiling a list of all the contracts it deems “questionable” for submission to the PPC for an investigation to be done.