The Tribune

By Rashad Rolle

THE renovation project for the Stephen Dillet Primary School this summer was not subject to a proper public tendering process, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said yesterday, adding the government has held public servants responsible for this error accountable. He did not identify those public servants or say what consequences they have faced.

His statements to reporters came days after former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts claimed over the weekend that not only did the government award the contract for the school’s renovation to Mal Jack Construction without a proper public tendering process but that the company had been previously banned from the Ministry of Works’ bid process.

Although it is not clear how much the contract to Mal Jack Construction was worth, the cost of upgrades to the primary school was about $4 million. Government protocol dictates contracts worth more than $50,000 are sent to the Tenders Board for its evaluation while Cabinet deals with contracts worth more than $250,000. As such Cabinet, The Tribune understands, can decide which agency must execute a contract, a responsibility that usually falls to the Ministry of Works for major projects.

Speaking to reporters before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Mr Bannister said: “I heard Mr Bradley Roberts seeking some public relevance in making some comments about the Stephen Dillet School, which as far as I can see is a wonderful school for that community. There were some issues with respect to the manner in which it was done. The persons who are responsible for that are going to be made accountable for it.

“The project did not go out to tender the way it ought to have been to tender, public to tender. The manner in which the project commenced concerned the government and the government took appropriate steps in relation to that. I am not going to mention the names of public servants except to say that the government is satisfied that we have taken appropriate action in relation to those persons who are responsible.

“But I will also say this. Unlike Mr Roberts, I am the minister of works. I take full responsibility for anything that happens in my ministry and I will accept full responsibility for anything that has gone wrong. I am the minister. When they were in office they didn’t do that. They scapegoated people. They did all sorts of things. I will not do that.”

Mr Roberts alleged in his statement on Sunday several hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cheques Mal Jack Construction issued to sub-contractors who worked on the primary school have “bounced back”. Rather than dealing with the matter, Jack Andrews, the principal of Mal Jack Construction, “disappeared”, Mr Roberts claimed. 

When The Tribune contacted him Monday, Mr Roberts declined to identify sub-contractors who have allegedly had problems cashing their cheques. 

For his part, Mr Andrews dismissed Mr Roberts’ claims as “rubbish” in an interview on Monday. He called the claims “PLP propaganda” and said he is Nassau and not in hiding.  

“If a contractor would step forward (with such a claim) then I’d go from there,” Mr Andrews said, expressing lack of concern over the matter. 

Asked about the allegations of bounced cheques, Mr Bannister told The Tribune: “One contractor has alleged to me that his cheque bounced. However, the ministry does not have a contractual relationship with sub-contractors; hence, the ministry cannot become involved in disputes between them and the contractor.”

On Monday, Education Minister Jeff Lloyd praised the renovation of the Stephen Dillet Primary School. 

“We now have,” he said, “a first-class facility that has relieved the staff and students of many, many urgent and negative issues which have impacted their lives and made learning a challenging experience. That is what I am proud of. Today I don’t hear any complaints and no thanks from any quarter beside the Free National Movement (FNM) for the transformation that has taken place in the community to the benefit of those we say we care the most for: our children.”