Too hot to handle? Ile Soleil tender controversy
It was mayhem at the International Conference Centre in Victoria yesterday morning at what was meant to be the opening of the tenders submitted by Seychellois professionals expressing interest in developing Ile Soleil.
It will be recalled that the 2020 Development (Seychelles) Limited had invited tenders through the Seychelles Nation on 12 April for a consultancy contract to carry out the conceptual design for lle Soleil, lle Aurore and the Victoria Waterfront. The deadline for the purchase of tender dossiers costing SR5,000 each was set for the 16 April and the tender proposals had to be submitted by 25 April at the SIB Expo Office.
But yesterday morning a number of bidders turned up at the ICCS for what they understood would be the opening of the bids they were informed that this would not happen.
According to reports received by this newspaper, as everyone gathered to watch the opening of the bids, an announcement was made that the bids would not be opened. This quickly led to raised voices and criticism and the situation became chaotic with no one knowing what to do.
‘We were all present for the opening because that's the way it should be," said one of those present who asked to remain anonymous for fear that his bid could be compromised. “We all wanted to know what the figure of the other bidders were but for some odd reason, we were told the bids would not be opened and even the tender box was not opened in the end,” he added.
Efforts by TODAY in Seychelles to contact the Expo 2020 office were in vain by the end of the working day yesterday, but we were informed by one of the bidders that those who had felt aggrieved by the procedure adopted yesterday had been invited to make representations in writing, which is what this bidder said he would do.
Over and above the situation created at yesterday's meeting, the manner in which this tender process has been made has been heavily criticised. One of the criticisms was on the failure to request separate dossiers for the technical and financial aspects of the bids which will be of major relevance in view of the size and complexity of the projects involved in this tender. Another has queried why this process of tenders was not dealt with by the National Tenders Board as is required by the Procurement Act.
The newly created parastatal company 2020 Development (Seychelles) Ltd was registered in February this year with the aim of developing the reclaimed man-made islands and the Victoria waterfront. It now owns all the land in lle Soleil, lle Aurore and the Victoria Waterfront. It has been claimed that the creation of the company was in done in order to avoid “placing any additional pressure on the national budget’. It is also meant to ensure that Seychellois not only own and develop the various opportunities on offer but that every Seychellois takes pride in a project that will have materialized using the expertise of local professionals from the planning stages, through to implementation and construction.
The new company, which has a 99% shareholding of the Government of Seychelles and 1% held by Mr Barry Faure the Secretary of State in the President's Office, is managed by a board of directors comprising Mrs Sabrina Agathine from the Seychelles Investment Board, Mr Yves Choppy the acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Land Use and Housing, Mr Bertrand Belle from the Ministry of Finance and Mr Barry Faure who is also the Chairman of the Board.
Source: Today.sc 4-28-12