NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has criticized the Davis administration for awarding a total of $212.5 million in Direct Award/Sole Source contracts over a 12-month period, covering 589 contracts.
In an examination of the government’s procurement activities from December 2023 to November 2024, based on information provided by the Ministry of Finance, Pintard alleged that these actions contravened the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
“Just looking at contracts for $100,000 or more that would not qualify for Direct Award, the government is reporting awards of 33 contracts totaling some $203.5 million,” Pintard said. “Based on the agencies that have not reported, it is possible that sole source and direct awards may be closer to half a billion dollars.”
He continued: “From our review, virtually none of these contracts over $100,000 could qualify for consideration for Direct Award by virtue of the law. None seem to be emergency situations, involve proprietary technologies or processes, or extensions of existing work—none of the legitimate criteria that would make them eligible to be awarded outside of competitive bidding.”
Pintard also raised concerns about the rationale behind the awarding of these contracts. “The Government must explain the rationale for awarding more than $212 million on infrastructural works, particularly in South and Central Eleuthera. These works are not related to the crisis of water and electricity provision for residents. What is the interest rate? What is the length of the contract?”
He also questioned the handling of contracts for the Post Office: “There are two contracts handed out for security services, each under $1 million, by Direct Award without competitive bidding. One of these contracts is reportedly awarded to a company substantially owned by a senior police officer.”
Pintard further highlighted an issue with the annual Christmas decorations contract: “For apparently two years running, the contract for Christmas decorations has been handed out by direct award, each for over half a million dollars. This past December, the $582,000 contract for Christmas decorations was sourced by the Ministry of Finance, not the Department of Public Works, which would have the means to ensure proper execution and oversight of these installations on public grounds. Why would the Ministry of Finance be awarding contracts for Christmas decorations? Why wouldn’t something like this be put to public tender?”
Pintard noted that Section 12 of the Public Procurement Act requires ALL proposed contracts over $400,000 to go to the Public Procurement Board. “Again, this is not an optional element. This is a legal requirement,” he said. “So, we must ask: Did the qualifying contracts go before the Procurement Board? If not, these contracts were awarded outside of the provisions of the statute law and are legally invalid. If they did go to the Procurement Board, was the required written justification furnished to the Board, and on what grounds did the Board support the award of these contracts that are clearly not justifiable in our view?”
