Latest update January 30th, 2025 3:36 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Highest bidder gets contracts

Feb 20, 2017 News

…Region blames recording of inaccurate minutes
The Regional Council of Region 6 East Berbice-Corentyne has been awarding contracts to the highest bidders instead of the most competitive. The Auditor General’s (AG) office found this development when an audit of the region was done in 2015.
According to the AG’s report, an examination of the region’s tender documents revealed that seventy-nine contracts valued at $147.586M were not awarded to the lowest or most competitive bidder.  It was in fact awarded to the most expensive bid from those that were submitted.
This is in clear violation of the Tender Board and Procurement Act of which the Regional Authorities are signatories to. The act was designed to prevent malpractices.
During a recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session in Parliament Chambers the matter was discussed and the PAC Chairman, Irfan Ali questioned why this was happening when Regional Officers are familiar with the rules of tendering.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) Kim Williams Stephens stated that the person who was taking the minutes at the tender board meeting had inadvertently written the wrong figure in the minutes, hence the mistake.
“REO are you telling me that because the minutes were badly taken this was allowed to happen?” Ali queried.
He said that it therefore means that the person who was taking the minutes had to be changed, and reminded the REO about the importance of the Tender Board minutes.
Further ,the Chairman stated that despite who was taking the minutes at the time of the Tender Board meeting the REO is ultimately responsible for that and its accuracy.  Stephens said that she agreed and that she is now reviewing the minutes at the end of meetings and signing them off to ensure that what is stated is indeed factual.
Additionally, Stephens said that there might have been a legitimate reason why the highest bidder was chosen, but because the minutes were not properly recorded she will not be in a position to defend what has happened.
Ali said while he understands that, he finds it inconceivable that 79 contracts were treated the same way and that this had to be addressed by the region or else action will have to be taken.
According to Stephens, the Regional Tender Board is now in compliance with the procurement Act and reasons and justifications for awarding contracts are now being recorded correctly in their minutes.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 24th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Guyanese boxers shine at T&T National Boxing Championships

Guyanese boxers shine at T&T National Boxing Championships

Jan 29, 2025

Kaieteur Sports-  Guyanese boxers Shakquain James and Abiola Jackman delivered stellar performances at the Trinidad and Tobago National Boxing Championships, held last weekend at the Southern...
Read More
Dottin, Matthews star as Windies Women crush Bangladesh by eight wickets in first T20

Dottin, Matthews star as Windies Women crush...

Jan 29, 2025

Young Windies Women end U19 T20 World Cup campaign with crushing defeat

Young Windies Women end U19 T20 World Cup...

Jan 29, 2025

Young Eagles, Pride lock up as 4-Day action gets underway today at Providence 

Young Eagles, Pride lock up as 4-Day action gets...

Jan 29, 2025

GBF hails historic $8B sports budget

GBF hails historic $8B sports budget

Jan 29, 2025

GCB bats for Government on sizable $8B Budget Allocation for Sports

GCB bats for Government on sizable $8B Budget...

Jan 29, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]