Company vying for drug supply pre-qualification ‘legally inactive’

May 01, 2014 News

…another hasn’t filed annual returns since 2010

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo

New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC) is now clearly poised to be the pre-qualified source of drugs for Government in this and coming years. Two of the companies that applied to be considered are in ‘murky waters.’

Meditron Scientific Sales, according to the records, is a ‘legally inactive’ company. It has not renewed its Business Certificate which expired on February 22, last.

This publication has learnt that this company is not incorporated but rather it is an individual trading under a business name.

The owner is Andrew Debidin. Meditron’s registered office is located on Sheriff Street.

Telcom Solutions (Guyana) Inc, which has also submitted a bid to be considered for pre-qualified status, has not submitted its annual returns since 2010.

This would mean that the company currently runs the risk of being struck off the Registrar’s list of companies. That company is registered locally but has no Director resident in Guyana.

Directors Nigel Clarke, Paul Scott, Patrick Scott, Byron Thompson and Melanie Subratie all have their addresses listed at various parts of Jamaica.

Niall Obrian has an Irish address, Donald Bakhuis has his listed in Curacao, Netherland Antilles and the Managing Director has his address listed in Trinidad.

This would mean that the only other locally based competitor to Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop’s companies is International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA).

The other local company that has submitted a bid is Global Healthcare Supplies Inc. which is also owned by Ramroop, in addition to the New GPC’s bid.

Under the new rules for being pre-qualified, local companies that meet the criteria would be favored above overseas bidders.

Of the seven companies that submitted bids, two are Trinidadian companies, ANSA McAL and Western Scientific Company.

Under the revised criteria for the prequalification of suppliers of drugs and medical supplies the companies that bid must demonstrate a gross turnover of $1B (US$5M) and net assets of $500M (US$2.5M).

The Ministry’s criteria said that a maximum score will be awarded to applicants which have paid $50M in corporate taxes annually.

The company with 50 or more employees, and warehousing capacity of 30,000 square feet in the city, will also gain an edge.

New GPC owner Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop

Ramroop, former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend, is the only supplier, locally with a bond of that size.

According to the revised prequalification criteria, maximum points will also be awarded in the evaluation process to the applicants who have been supplying Government more than seven years without any negative reports.

Opposition Leader Brigadier (rtd) David Granger is on record as saying that what the Ministry of Health has done is to devise tailor-made criteria, meant to negate other competitors so that Ramroop could proceed unopposed.

The Opposition Leader conceded that the Parliament would be unable to prevent the implementation of this strategy, given that it is a Ministerial Order.

Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, in an earlier interview published by Kaieteur News, had said, “Could you imagine the resultant impoverishment of the treasury and corresponding enrichment to New GPC! This is bloody larceny, but in the eyes of past and present PPP administrations it is economics. The little boy who picks your pocket for a $2,000 would have to go to jail.”

The last pre-qualification period for suppliers of drugs and medical supplies expired on December 31.

The Ministry of Health had been looking to select the suppliers for the next three years.

A pre-qualified contractor is automatically considered when it is time to order critical or emergency supplies.

Ramroop’s company has been benefiting from billions of dollars annually, controlling supplies of up to 80 per cent of the drugs purchased by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Ministry of Health.

In excess of $5B has been allocated for the purchase of Drugs and Medical Supplies and while the pre-qualification has not been completed as yet, Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran has already indicated that of that amount New GPC will be getting a large slice.