REFERENCE is made to the letter in Kaieteur News Monday edition, dated December 5, 2011 under the caption “I have evidence of corruption in awarding of contracts” written by one Mervyn Williams. It may be very useful to edify Mervyn Williams by reminding him that the procurement of goods and services are usually done on two bases:: (1) open tendering and (2) selective tendering.
In eight of the 10 cases which he listed, the contracts were awarded through selective tendering, which is provided for under the Procurement Act 73:05.
Yes, once the contract sum exceeds the REO’s threshold of $600, 000 the award is made pursuant to the regional tender board procedures and not to public tender procedures as stated by Williams.
It is incomprehensible that Williams sought to discredit the Regional Tender Board by stating that both the Regional Executive Officer and the Regional Chairman exercised illegal control of the tender procedure, when in fact  in each instance the contract was awarded by the Regional Tender Board as evidenced by the specific minutes of the regional tender board meetings.
With regard to the corrective maintenance works at the Philadelphia Primary School, it is truly amazing why Williams would want to categorise this project as a political campaign ploy. Williams was present during the demonstrations in February by parents and teachers and he was well aware of the decision taken by the regional administration and the Ministry of Education.
Just to refresh his (Williams’) memory, the corrective maintenance works were treated as an emergency, noting that the demonstration, if it had continued, would have endangered the holding of classes at the school. This project also received the necessary approval of the Regional Tender Board,as evidenced by Tender Board Minutes No 9 dated May 5, 2011.