PM now investigating Bidding Process.
Airport: --- The board and management of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) was given three weeks to provide a number of documents to the Acting Minister of VROMI and Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs before he would take a decision on issuing the building permits for the construction of the Fixed Based Operations (FBO) project at PJIAE and the Fire Station. Both projects were awarded to Taliesin Construction after a bidding process was conducted.
Managing Director of the PJIAE Regina Labega told the Parliament of St. Maarten that the bidding for the FBO project was done by invitation. During the presentation Labega said that construction companies were invited to bid on the project and Taliesin Construction won that bid. However, since the new coalition government took office it appears as though "golden boy" have decided to use his external powers to cut down Taliesin Construction by not granting the building permits to the companies that requested it.
SMN News wrote several articles on the FBO project but the Prime Minister never said anything about the building permits that are being held up.
However, on May 6th 2015, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs dispatched a letter to Joseph Peterson informing that PJIAE requested building permits to build a temporary office for the Meteo operations a fire and rescue building and a building for the FBO on land owned by PJIAE Holding Company N.V (PJIAH). Prime Minister Gumbs said that the request submitted by PJIAE are incomplete and therefore cannot be processed as these permits were not signed by the land owner namely PJIAH. Prime Minister Gumbs said on behalf of the shareholder of PJIAH he is requesting that PJAIE submit several documents within a three week time frame.
Some of the clarifications Prime Mininster Gumbs asked for are as following:
- What has been the process for the permit request? Provide a timeline as to when documents were submitted and decisions were taken by all relevant stakeholders.
- Provide clarity on the bidding process for the design and complete construction of the buildings; include copies of the terms of reference and the bids submitted.
- Submit copies of any signed contracts pertaining to the design and complete construction of the buildings.
- Submit written assessment from an independent company of the estimated costs mentioned in the building permit requests and a detailed breakdown of the estimated costs and any additional costs that can be expected.On another it now behooves everyone to see if the Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs will exercise due diligence when it comes to the new prison that has to be constructed in Pointe Blanche by LICCOM.
According to well-placed sources the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson signed off on a letter of intent in 2014 and again in May 2015 to grant the Naf.12M contract to LICCOM to build the new prison in Pointe Blanche without holding a public bidding. The letetr of intent that was signed by the Minister of Justice is currently by the Minister of Finance Martin Hassink for his approval. It should also be noted that the owner of LICCOM is Henk van Heuvel who is the best friend UPP leader Thoedore Heyliger and Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs.
Click below to read the letter sent to PJIAE on the building permits requests.
