Dear Editor,
Reference is made to retort of NDIA CEO Mr. Flatts (March 21) and riposte of Joshua Emmanuel (Mar 23) on cancellation of tendering and delays in awarding long overdue bids at NDIA. Mr. Flatts says he is not aware of tendering being cancelled and of re-tendering of contracts. Yet advertisements appeared in newspapers re-tendering contracts for Ministry of Agriculture. These are varied tenders for operations of pumps, pontoons, excavators, and other machinery, and security of same.
There was also a tender on steel sheet piling that was advertised last November and evaluated in December but cancelled in January, re-tendered in March with a deadline of March 23, and now extended. What has happened to those tenders that were nullified and re-tendered? When will bids be evaluated and awarded?
There are serious issues with tendering and hiring practice at Ministry of Agriculture. Why was steel sheeting bid re-tendered and now the time extended? Is it to facilitate Yunas Engineering and others to put in a bid? Are/were instructions given to tamper with competitor bids to favor one particular bidder? Is the Chair of NDIA Board, Mr. Wordsworth, still employed by a company that is bidding for projects? What is the connection of the Chair with the Jagmohan’s group of companies?
A position of the Project Implementation Officer was just created. What is the role of this newly created position? Someone by the name of Ms. Letisha has been appointed to the position? Does she have the requisite skills and or practical experience for the job? Does she have any relationship with the Chairman of the NDIA Board that can be considered a conflict of interest?
Is the country returning to the pre-2015 level of corruption? Tampering with bids at tender board must not be allowed!
Clearly, there are issues with tendering and hiring. Will Ashni Singh and Anil Nandlall, paragons who society look up to, turn a blind eye and allow their good names to be tarnished with what is happening at the tender board?
Yours truly,
Thomas Whitehead
