Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said, thus far, allegations contained in an e-mail sent to her by junior Works Minister Stacy Roopnarine on a contract bidding issue have not been evidenced in any regard.
“It may well be the junior minister was not apprised of all of the facts. There appeared to be no (ministerial) interference and no award has been made to date...the process is ongoing,” Persad-Bissessar said in Parliament yesterday.
She said she made enquiries and the concerns were addressed “to my satisfaction at this time.”
Persad-Bissessar was speaking during Prime Minister’s question time in response to questions from the Opposition, including PNM leader Keith Rowley and ILP leader Jack Warner, on allegations about the bidding process for the Curepe Interchange.
Rowley asked the PM about a letter Roopnarine had written about the award of a tender by Nidco on behalf of the ministry and whether the evaluation process was interfered with by the minister (Suruj Rambachan) to the point where the junior minister expressed concern about how the evaluation and award were progressing.
Persad-Bissessar said Roopnarine did not write her a letter on behalf of the ministry, but said: “However, the Minister of State did send an e-mail in a personal capacity to me, whereupon I made enquiries as to the process, as to what was taking place. I was given indications on what the process was.”
The PM said one firm came in as the first-ranked bidder and others as second and third bidders.
She noted the PNM’s Diego Martin North East MP also had noted at a previous point that the first-ranked bidder was the highest and the amount it tendered was over $100 million more than the second-ranked bidder.
She said the Cabinet-approved amount for the job was about $308 million. But the first-ranked bid was above that by almost $100 million.
Persad-Bissessar said: “I raised it with the Works Minister. The ministry is the client of Nidco and Nidco had called in the first-ranked bidder for negotiations and those negotiations saw the first-ranked bidder dropping their prices somewhat but still way in excess, pursuant to their roles.
“The second-ranked bidder, who came in much less than the first, and the third-ranked bidder were called in for negotiations. “As far as I am aware that process is ongoing.”
On further PNM questions on alleged ministerial interference at board level in the evaluation process, the PM replied: “I have answered those by telling you the process and what happened on receipt of the e-mail from the Oropouche West MP.
“I had enquiries made and from those enquiries, there appeared to be no interference in the evaluation process and indeed no award has been made to date.”
On Warner’s queries, the PM said she was not aware of any promises by Nidco and repeated: “No award has been made and the process is ongoing and that’s the state of play at this point in time.”
On PNM questions about the ministerial role in evaluations and the funding process for tenders and award of contracts by Nidco, Persad-Bissessar replied: “The ministry is Nidco’s client. Nidco deals with the tender and award of contracts and the Works Minister has no role in that regard.”
Asked finally by Rowley whether, after the junior minister had written her, the PM could say the junior minister had no cause for concern, Persad-Bissessar replied:
“Thus far, the allegations contained in the e-mail sent by the Oropouche West MP, those allegations have not been evidenced in any regard.
“It may well be the junior minister was not apprised of all of the facts. Perhaps it might suit you very well, as we are all entitled to answer questions, that you direct deeper questioning to the honourable MP.
“But from my point of view and from enquiries that have been made, the concerns were addressed—were raised and were addressed—to my satisfaction at this time.”
Works Minister Suruj Rambachan declined to be interviewed, saying: “Not today.”
Junior Minister Roopnarine, when asked for a comment on the e-mail and contract issue before the sitting, said she had no comment “at this time.”
Hefty salary for CAL CEO
Caribbean Airlines’ CEO Michael DiLollo is collecting US$33,000 (TT$205,000) a month remuneration package, although the state-owned company continues to struggle. In response to a question from Independent Liberal party (ILP) leader Jack Warner’s query yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said Canadian DiLollo is collecting a US$28,000 salary plus a US$5,000 housing allowance.
Meanwhile, the PM said Government was also checking on civil remedies available for recovery of the $34 million paid for a LifeSport contract.
Fielding other Opposition queries yesterday, including whether the LifeSport programme warranted a commission of enquiry, she said the LifeSport file had been sent to the DPP and Police Commissioner and Government was awaiting their findings. In addition, she said, she had asked the Attorney General, through the Solicitor General, to see if any civil remedies were available to the State for recovery of the funds. She said the civil and criminal fronts were the only two to undertake that The PM said no one should be paid under a LifeSport heading.