Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said it is unfair to level allegations against Sports Ministry tender board by the rejected Tender holders of Sugathadasa synthetic running track restoration, as they can appeal to the Procurement Authority at first, if the Tender Board has acted partially.
“I inquired into the matter after I saw news paper articles exposed the rejected contractors’ side of the story. I do not know whether the tender board did their job correct. But if there is any misconduct, the grieved parties can appeal to the Procurement Authority. But instead, the rejected contractors made partial comments to the public media which I see unfair.
“There were five competent applicants. Two or three of them were rejected in the initial round of the tender procedure due to lack of qualifications. Some of them have submitted incomplete applications. Actually I do not want to make statements on this. Because I must not make any interference with the tender procedure and also must avoid any unneseasory impact on the Boar’s functions. So I am not going to interfere this matter as the legal provisions are clear for any aggrieved party. We have a very transparent Government policy. So any aggrieved party also can appeal to the Procurement Authority at the Presidential Secretariat. I am answerable to the Cabinet. I have to submit tender procedures to the Cabinet. So we have to act according to the law,’ the Minister emphasized.
Minister also said the professor from the Moratuwa University who heads the tender board has a vast knowledge on the matter and the problems have arisen mainly due to incomplete applications.
“The requirement of laying at least 10 IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) approved class one tracks including a one in South Asia has been fulfilled by not just a one applicant but two or three. I have instructed the Tender Board to select the best and the Board took four months in preparation before the Tender was called to make sure everything is done correctly and transparently. I only want to select a contractor who will lay the track according to the highest standards. The Tender demands an insurance for the laying materiel and details with country name of the materiel. This is a high tech job and the contractor must have a thorough knowledge to do it right. If not, the moisture will cause water bubbles. So we have clearly stated that the contractor must submit us with a full report on how they are going to lay the track. We have given such specifications to make sure the task will be done to the highest standards,” the Minister concluded.
Add new comment