{"id":22000,"date":"2022-05-05T22:25:36","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T03:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev?p=22000"},"modified":"2022-05-04T20:16:43","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T01:16:43","slug":"cctv-contract-blocked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/cctv-contract-blocked\/","title":{"rendered":"CCTV CONTRACT BLOCKED"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trinidad and Tobago<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

CABINET has stopped the award of a contract for a national CCTV (closed-circuit television) network in Trinidad and Tobago to Irish-owned telecommunications provider Digicel, and referred the evaluation and its outcome to new Attorney General Reginald Armour.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made this disclosure to the Express on Monday, in written responses to questions sent to him.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister was asked to confirm that majo\u00adrity State-owned Telecommu\u00adnications Services of Tri\u00adni\u00addad and Tobago (TSTT) submitted a bid for the contract that was substantially less than the Digicel bid, but the TSTT bid was disqualified for \u201ctechnical\u201d reasons.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

He was also asked why the Government (Ministry of National Security) issued a letter of award to a company in which it has no equity interest when a company in which it does have an equity interest is capable of doing the job.<\/p>\n

In response, the Prime Minister said: \u201cThose are the same questions that the Government is asking and have stopped any award and have referred the evaluation and its outcome to the Attorney General for his advice. This was done about two weeks ago. We await the review of the Attorney General.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ministry of National Security issued a request for proposals (RFP) in January 2021 for the design, supply and installation of a dedica\u00adted data connectivity solution to support the national CCTV network.<\/p>\n

That first RFP was withdrawn without explanation and was replaced by an RFP that was issued in October 2021, sources said.<\/p>\n

The second RFP stipulates the installation of 2,488 cameras in 294 communities across Tobago and Trinidad, comprising 898 sites. Some 470 of the 2,488 cameras are required to facilitate facial recognition, while 1,127 are required to recognise vehicle licence plates.<\/p>\n

TSTT\u2019s technical propo\u00adsal for the second RFP was rejected by the evaluators of the procurement process, even though TSTT designed and installed a CCTV network for the East-West Corridor in 2009 that would have been approved by the security agencies of the US and Britain. The Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting were both held in T&T in 2009.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u2018Not the first time\u2019<\/p>\n

The prime minister explained that the award of contracts by ministries is not a Cabinet decision.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

He said Cabinet autho\u00adrised the Ministry of National Security to proceed with the CCTV project. That brought into action an evaluation done by a team under the ministry and its tender process, Rowley said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the Cabinet disco\u00advered where they were going, a demand was made to see the details of the process that resulted in the concern you also expressed,\u201d the Prime Minister said, adding, \u201cThe documents were submitted and it is out of dissatisfaction and concern that the matter has been halted and sent to the AG for his advice and guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not the first time we have had issue with the attempt to award a contract in this ministry. The police had to be called in to trace \u2018lost\u2019 documents,\u201d Rowley said.<\/p>\n

Questioned about the political repercussions of awarding the CCTV contract to Digicel, given that 51 per cent State-owned TSTT is in the middle of a retrenchment process, which is being funded by borrowed money, Rowley said, \u201cThat is precisely why the effort to award it \u2018as recommended\u2019 by the second questionable evaluation process has attracted the intervention of the Cabinet to see just how this kind of recommendation emerged and why it is disregarding exactly what you are saying.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

He said the Cabinet awaits the advice of the Attorney General \u201cbecause since \u2018independent\u2019 professional people did the tender process, we want to know what drives this outcome, which is seen to be so worrisome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Non-disclosure agreements<\/p>\n

Asked for a comment on the process and whether Digicel had received a letter of award on or about March 25, a spokesperson for the company said: \u201cDigicel has participated in multiple Government tenders over the years. As you may or may not be aware, participants in tenders with the Government are bound by non-disclosure agreements. Therefore, we would refer you to the Ministry of National Security with any questions you might have.\u201d<\/p>\n

A TSTT executive said the company would prefer not to comment at this time.<\/p>\n

TSTT has had a fraught relationship with the Government over the 2009 CCTV contract and its extensions, with several ministers accu\u00adsing the company of overcharging the State.<\/p>\n

In its February 2022 information memorandum for the new bonds issued to finance the retrenchment, TSTT said, \u201cAs of March 31, 2021, we had outstanding bills totalling $695 million to the Ministry of National Security, of which $377 million was recorded as accounts receivable and $318 million was recorded as a bad debt provision. We delivered a notice of arbitration to the Ministry of National Security seeking a sum of TT$677 million, which represents the total amount owed to us as of January 31, 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n

more\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

image:\u00a0 pexels-possessed-photography<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 CABINET has stopped the award of a contract for a national CCTV (closed-circuit television) network in Trinidad and Tobago to Irish-owned telecommunications provider Digicel, and referred…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1091,"featured_media":22001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[250],"tags":[242,137],"class_list":["post-22000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles","tag-security-surveillance","tag-trinidad-and-tobago"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-possessed-photography-11028886-scaled-e1651713140337.jpg?fit=1024%2C693&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-5IQ","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22202,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/moonilal-calls-for-cctv-probe\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":0},"title":"Moonilal calls for CCTV probe","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"May 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago OPPOSITION Member of Parliament, Dr Roodal Moonilal, is calling on the Government to undertake an independent investigation into the procurement by the Ministry of National Security of an upgrade to the current national closed-circuit television (CCTV) network. \u201cI am now calling for an independent investigation outside of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-ju%CC%88rgen-jester-4497236-scaled-e1652989745287.jpg?fit=1024%2C695&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-ju%CC%88rgen-jester-4497236-scaled-e1652989745287.jpg?fit=1024%2C695&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-ju%CC%88rgen-jester-4497236-scaled-e1652989745287.jpg?fit=1024%2C695&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-ju%CC%88rgen-jester-4497236-scaled-e1652989745287.jpg?fit=1024%2C695&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21988,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/cctv-procurement-process-compromised\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":1},"title":"CCTV procurement process compromised","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"May 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 MAJORITY State-owned Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) complained, in writing, that the Ministry of National Security\u2019s September 2018 CCTV procurement process was \u201cirretrievably compromised\u201d. The criticism of the ministry\u2019s CCTV procurement process came in a letter written by former TSTT CEO, Ronald Walcott, dated\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-scott-webb-430208-scaled-e1651713365348.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-scott-webb-430208-scaled-e1651713365348.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-scott-webb-430208-scaled-e1651713365348.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/pexels-scott-webb-430208-scaled-e1651713365348.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8110,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/moonilal-bobol-in-100m-cctv-system\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":2},"title":"Moonilal: Bobol in $100M CCTV system","author":"Michele Marius","date":"March 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has alleged a case of bid-rigging in the upgrade of the country's $100M CCTV camera security-system, speaking today in the Lower House debate on a bill to vary the Budget. Alleging that an extension had been made to the period to submit tenders, so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CCTV-camera-surveillance-security-PhotoMIX-Ltd-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CCTV-camera-surveillance-security-PhotoMIX-Ltd-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CCTV-camera-surveillance-security-PhotoMIX-Ltd-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CCTV-camera-surveillance-security-PhotoMIX-Ltd-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23165,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/moonilal-wants-probe-into-posgh-contract-bid\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":3},"title":"Moonilal wants probe into PoSGH contract bid","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"July 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal believes a technical glitch which caused the Urban Development Corporation (UDECOTT) e-tender platform to introduce a third bidder on the Port-of-Spain General Hospital Central Block project, days after the bidding was closed, should be immediately investigated, as the matter points\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Buildings-construction-cranes-Juhasz-Imre-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Buildings-construction-cranes-Juhasz-Imre-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Buildings-construction-cranes-Juhasz-Imre-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Buildings-construction-cranes-Juhasz-Imre-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23162,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/a-tender-issue-with-public-procurement\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":4},"title":"A tender issue with public procurement","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"July 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 The issues that have arisen in relation to the tendering system of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) highlight the sensitive nature of public procurement and the need for all stakeholders to feel confident in whatever systems are adopted. On Sunday, Oropouche East\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-alex-green-5700186-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-alex-green-5700186-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-alex-green-5700186-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-alex-green-5700186-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-alex-green-5700186-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8114,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/tstt-denies-whistleblower-claims\/","url_meta":{"origin":22000,"position":5},"title":"TSTT denies whistleblower claims","author":"Michele Marius","date":"February 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"A Guardian Me\u00addia in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtion has un\u00adearthed a damn\u00ading whistle\u00adblow\u00ader re\u00adport in\u00adside the Telecom\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtions Ser\u00advices of Trinidad and To\u00adba\u00adgo (TSTT) which de\u00adtails spe\u00adcif\u00adic ques\u00adtion\u00adable pro\u00adcure\u00adment prac\u00adtices and mega-mil\u00adlion dol\u00adlar deals with\u00adout board ap\u00adproval. 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