Eight years later, motion scales still to be delivered – AG Report
Nov 14, 2024
Kaieteur News-The Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma in his recently released 2023 Report has flagged the still undelivered motion scales more than eight years since payments were made.
The purchase was made by the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure under the previous government. The AG Report detailed that the ministry had paid a contractor $72.264M to supply and deliver three motion scales within ninety days of signing the contract. It was explained that the supplier received the entire contract sum ($72M) in 2016, contrary to the contractual terms of 50% advance payment within thirty days of signing the contract and the balance on delivery.
Now eight years after the payment, the scales are yet to be delivered, Auditor General stated that according to the ministry “due to delays in clearing the scales, the items were still at the wharf. Moreover, there were issues with the payment of Value Added Tax to the Guyana Revenue Authority.”
The Report mentioned that the ministry wrote the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation seeking assistance to resolve the issue. “The ministry enquired from Laparkan about the status of the scales after a fire destroyed its wharf in January 2022. At the time of reporting in September 2024, the matter is engaging the attention of the Court,” the AG revealed.
Meanwhile, in bringing the matter to closure, the Audit Office recommended that the Public Works Ministry continue to follow-up with the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
On the subject matter, Kaieteur News had reported that the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, had moved to the High Court over the three Mettler Toledo weight-in-motion scales that the former Government, through the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure, had purchased in 2016 but were never delivered.
It was reported that the Attorney General sued former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, then Permanent Secretary (PS), Balraj Balram, and Engineer/Manager Lawrence Mentis. The Attorney General also sued Nevpro Realization Limited, a Jamaican company for breach of contract by failing to deliver the scales.
This publication reported too that on November 1, 2016, the then Ministry invited suppliers through the National Competitive Bidding and Restricted Tendering method of procurement, to bid for the procurement of 14 different Lots of specified goods, which included the motion scales.
El Dorado Trading, a local company was listed as the only bidder for the supply and delivery of the scales, and the company had made a bid of $10,200,000. However, the company was disqualified from the tender procedure.
Minister Nandlall had further noted in the court document that instead of using the correct method of inviting suppliers to bid for the supply and delivery of the scales, PS Balram entered into a contract with the Jamaican company for the supply and delivery of the said scales, despite the company never being formally invited to bid for the contract in accordance with the provisions of the Procurement Act.
(Eight years later, motion scales still to be delivered)
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