The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Opposition yesterday urged the Minnis administration to enter into negotiations with the Bahamian consortium it had selected as the "preferred bidder" on the New Providence landfill management tender.

A statement from North Andros MP, Picewell Forbes, who serves as shadow minister for the environment, housing, sports and culture, argued that there was no need to stop or cancel the Request for Proposal (RFP) initiated by the former Christie administration.

Selected

He said the 100 per cent Bahamian-owned bidder, Waste Resources Development Group (WRDG), and its financial partner, Providence Advisors, had been selected as the preferred bidder out of the two offers submitted by the April 28 deadline.

"We trust that the new administration will enter into negotiations with the preferred bidder and allow the remediation and operation plan prepared by the Bahamian engineering firm, Caribbean Coastal Systems, led by Carlos Palacious, and its international consultant, Dr Tarek Abichou, and approved by the Department of Environmental Health Services, to be advanced. Significant work has been done; there is no need to stop or cancel that process, duplicate efforts or waste time or money," Mr Forbes's statement read.

"Governments are continuous. The plan is laid out and the new government should not deprive the Bahamian group from being able to negotiate terms with the Government to enable them to solve this long-standing issue in the best of interests of the Bahamian people."

However, Ginny McKinney, principal of WasteNot, a leading member of WRDG, told Tribune Business on Monday they were never been contacted by the former government after the bids were opened at the Ministry of Finance less than two weeks before the election.

This raises doubts as to whether a preferred bidder had actually been selected, and Ms McKinney said she and other members of the 10-strong Waste Resources Development Group are hoping they can at least discuss the contents of their bid with the Minnis administration given the time and money invested in it.

Plans

The Minnis administration has announced plans to pursue the "deconstruction and proper engineering" of the New Providence Landfill in response to a 28-page report compiled by officials from the Pan-American and World Health Organisations earlier this year. The Government also pledged to increase security and expand equipment for staff at the landfill, and indicated that a new RFP for the facility's management will be held.

The Christie administration committed in the Baha Mar Heads of Agreement to resolve the landfill's woes by year-end, or otherwise new owners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), would be released from their performance obligations.