Opposition questions contract award for Camp Street prison

The Parliamentary Opposition is questioning Government over contracts to repair sections of the Camp Street prison, following a deadly fire and the prisoner escapes earlier this year.

According to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), there is no published evidence of which contractor was awarded and little word from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI). “Ministry of Public Infrastructure, through its Public Relations Officer, has admitted that the tender process for emergency works at the Georgetown Prisons, relative to the construction of administrative blocks, was annulled.” The early July fire was believed to be deliberately set to allow prisoners to escape. One of them was a mass killing suspect who is still on the run. The fire caused major damage to the prisons. The subsequent relocation of the prisoners to the Lusignan facilities spurred a decision by the Government to fix the administrative blocks at the prison to ease overcrowding at Lusignan and other holding facilities across the country. The PPP wants to know about the contracts to fix the administrative blocks at Camp Street. The Opposition, in its statement, disclosed that MPI annulled the tenders to allow for the project to fall under the relevant ministry- the Ministry of Public Security. The MPI would have been responsible for technical support.

The Opposition said that the admission of the annulment is further evidence that the Government is involved as it relates to the proclivity to annul tenders and flaunt procurement procedures. The annulment has raised even more questions. “How was it that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure went as far as to invite contractors to submit bids, before realising that it was taking on works and spending money budgeted under the Ministry of Public Security? A total of 20 companies were shortlisted from a pre-qualification process. (Kaieteurnews.com)