A plumbing company formed in February, 2016 was able to land a $5 million contract with the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) five months later even though it had tendered the highest bid.
NATION investigations revealed that Dr David Estwick, the then Minister of Water Resource Management sent an email to former chairman Dr Atlee Brathwaite, on July 31, 2016, recommending that Ortus Plumbing and Plumbing Supplies, be granted the contract totalling $5 288 025.34, to provide pipes and fittings for 36 months to the BWA as part of its mains replacement programme.
That decision was made less than a month after the board had short-listed three other tenders out of ten local and overseas companies; and recommended that the BWA enter into negotiations with two – HD Supply Water Works, an American company with over 80 years experience, which had submitted a bid for US$1 588 825.00 and SCL Sales and Services Inc. a local company in operation since 2009 and which submitted a bid for US$1 683 099.50. (MB)
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