APNU+AFC opted to commit...

“It has nothing to do with the law being deficient, or there being any gaps or weaknesses in the law. It is that the law was not complied with. The law is there, and the law remains there. But if you don’t obey the law, if you don’t follow the law, you can’t fault the laws,” the AG said.

The report found that from March to August 2020, the APNU+AFC government did not allocate a specific amount to meet COVID-19 expenditures. The Ministry of Public Health and the CDC met such expenditures from monthly releas- es under the line items.

As stated, the two entities spent over $1 billion to acquire COVID-19 supplies. In addition to the amount expended, both agencies received a significant amount of donations or gifts from local and international organisations.

Meanwhile, the CDC received cash donations totalling $45 million for the period. Suppliers delivered close to $400 million worth of goods a month late. In one instance, the ministry did not deduct penalty fees of close to $5 million.

Recently, the AG’s chambers managed to secure a judgement against

Trinidadian company, Davis Ecolife Limited to repay the $6,159,325 deposit it received from the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) in 2019 for the supply of two prefabricated enclosures to house ICT hubs.

The said agreementmade under the coalition government- had a completion date of January 25, 2019. However, Davis Ecolife Ltd. failed and/ or neglected to perform the contract in accordance with the agreed date.

The AG’s chambers had commenced legal proceedings against several companies to recover monies that were paid out in contracts under the APNU+AFC Government, where goods or services were not delivered.

One of the cases currently before the court is against NevPro Realization Limited of Jamaica, and Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, over a breach of contract that was entered into almost seven years ago.

The matter at reference has to do with the non-delivery of three mobile motion scales bought by the APNU+AFC government for a whopping $72.264 million back in December 2016.

In the Statement of

Claim, the AG has also named former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Balraj Balram, and the ministry’s former Head of the Special Projects Unit, Lawrence Mentis as respondents.

On behalf of the state, Nandlall is seeking $50 million in general damages from the Jamaican company for loss and damage suffered as a result of the breach of the contract, dated December 6, 2016, for the supply and delivery of three scales.

He is also claiming for liquidated damages in the sum of $7.245 million calculated at 10 per cent of the contract price for breach of contract by the said company.

Alternatively, the AG is also seeking an Order of Restitution against the company for all monies received as full payment under the contract which was breached.

Last year, the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) was sworn in.

The PPC is responsible for the oversight of the public procurement of all goods and services, along with the monitoring of all infrastructural works to ensure that they conform to the relevant laws and guidelines.