Ramsammy denies PNCR charge of meddling with tender process
Stabroek News
May 16, 2003
Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has denied claims by the PNCR that he was instrumental in having a contract awarded to a company that did not meet tender requirements.
The PNCR made these allegations at its weekly press conference yesterday stating it had a confidential document dated April 16, 2002 Ref CTB#436/2002, which was prepared by the Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Health, assessing four bids.
The party stated that the advertised tender was for the procurement of Medical and General Equipment for the Enmore Polyclinic and the Lusignan Health Centre
According to the PNCR, the four entities which submitted bids were, Ana Scientific, Meditrin Scientific Sales, International Pharmaceutical Agency and Atlantic Pharmaceutical.
At the press conference it was said that part of the qualification requirements were: (a) that each bidder must provide true and certified copies of current Inland Revenue Department and National Insurance Scheme compliance, (b) information verifying that each company had trained personnel for servicing some of the equipment.
The request was made by letter dated July 31, 2002 to each company which had tendered and those which responded to the letter were subsequently requested to provide documented proof of factory training undertaken by the individuals.
According to the PNCR, only Meditrin Sales and International Pharmaceutical Agency supplied the required verification.
The PNCR’s press release quoted part of the Evaluation Committee observation which stated that, “on examination of the documents submitted by the bidders the committee came across instances in which the supporting documentation supplied by one bidder, Ana Scientific, seems to be irregular. First, the NIS Compliance Certificate was issued on September 25, 2000 yet its validity extends to October 24, 2002. Secondly, the date of issue as well as the validity date of the IRD Certificate appears, to have been changed.”
The PNCR pointed out that despite this and other shortcomings, Ana Scientific was awarded the contract.
“The PNCR has information which suggests a link between Dr Ramsammy and the owners of Ana Scientific. We are also reliably informed that Ramsammy canvassed the awarding of this contract to Ana Scientific through the Cabinet. It is also revealing that the Cabinet would support his submissions given the contents of the (evaluation) reports”, the party said.
However Dr Ramsammy denied all allegations levelled against him: “I have nothing to do with putting tenders together, I have nothing to do with who applies and processing who applies. It goes through the central tender board and the central tender board sets up a committee to evaluate tenders.”
He told Stabroek News that it was the tender board which made the recommendation and if accepted it went to the Cabinet which then approved it.
“Up to the time it goes to cabinet I have no idea who applied, who was evaluated and who wins the award.”
The minister denied he had ever been involved in making any representation on behalf of the company and pointed out that when the recommendation went to cabinet all the transactions were in numbers and no company was named.
The PNCR said that it had also been reliably advised that Ana Scientific acted as an agent to procure a Chemical Analyser for the Georgetown Public Hospital which did not function. (Samantha Alleyne)
