Company involved in Walwyn Wall scandal given another ‘no bid’ contract
The National Democratic Party (NDP) Government in a Cabinet decision of October 25, 2018, waived the tender process for the $132,142.45 restoration contract for the ESHS L Shaped building.
SA Architect will be doing consultancy services in the form of management oversight for the L-shaped building restoration project, due to the familiarity with and urgency of the project, according to Government.
With the money not budgeted for, the Administration has called for the amount to be approved in the next Schedule of Additional Provision (SAP).
Webster raised red flags
The Auditor General, Ms Sonia M. Webster, in her bombshell investigation of August 2018 on the small ESHS Wall noted that the project which was managed by the Ministry of Education and Culture and is the pet project of Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (AL) was outsourced to the same SA Architect.
The architectural drawings, bill of quantities and project management services were all done by SA Architect.
The Auditor General additionally noted, “…there was no segregation of duties or secondary checks… This allowed for incongruence in the bill of quantities to go uncorrected and the contractors to be paid for unfinished work, resulting in a project that was incomplete and over-costed.”
Many have blasted this decision to have this company that Ms Webster raised concerns about still being given such a wavier as the Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert set in Cabinet with such a decision.
One senior civil servant speaking to our news desk on condition of anonymity noted “this project has been a year old, what about a short list tender process, it sends a bad message to the public on good governance.”
The Officer who is scheduled to retire next year noted “this is a major project” and questioned why was it not handled by the RDA?
Political promises no action by Walwyn
Following the Hurricanes of September 2017 the Education and Culture Minister Walwyn had promised that the L Shape building will be ready for the next semester, but to date his words have been useless.
Mr Walwyn also said that he was frustrated that the NDP could not get to access and use the Caribbean Development Bank loan funds.
The mistrust of the Dr D. Orlando Smith (AL) led seven year old Administration with public money continues to be a challenge for Government.
The United Kingdom has imposed and set up an alternative government call the Recovery and Development Agency Board, where they have their own budget, own checking account, own projects and now hires their own staff independent of the central government.
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