Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, who agreed to the Port Authority of T&T’s recommendation to cancel the contract for the Ocean Flower 2 with Bridgemans Services Group, is now saying the new process “was a public tender advertisement in the newspaper and anyone was free to tender.”
He made the comment after the T&T Guardian reported exclusively yesterday that Bridgemans had tendered the same vessel in the latest tender process offered by the PATT for a passenger vessel.
Bridgemans is one of six company’s which put in tenders for the sea bridge service.
Gateway Cruises tendered three vessels - CNV Super Ferry, Super Ferry 2 and the Super Runner.
Ocean Star Shipping Limited submitted one - FB Bridge.
Bridgemans offered one - Ocean Flower 2.
Fortune Maritime LLC tendered 1 - M.V Kiara
Sea Jets Maritime tendered five - MV Terra Jet, HSC Blue Power, HSC Champ Jet 2, HSC Mega Jet and the HSC Paros Jet.
Paragon Protection Construction Limited meanwhile submitted a letter declining the tender.
Sinanan said the valuation process had not started, “but once the evaluation is finished” a submission will be made to him as minister.
PATT officials told the T&T Guardian they are now awaiting word from the Government on the evaluation committee.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley told the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on Monday that “when we put the evaluation team in place we will want Tobago to have an involvement in the evaluation,” because it was felt that it was at the evaluation stage something went wrong with respect to the the Super Fast Galicia.
Rowley told the JSC that “the Minister will consult the THA and the private sector in Tobago, to add maybe two more persons to the evaluation team.”
Sinanan said yesterday his ministry is in the “process of putting the evaluation team together” and assured that within the next day or so contact will be made with the Tobago stakeholders. He said the Ministry of the Attorney General is assisting with the process.
The Ocean Flower 2 arrived in the country on Wednesday and Bridgemans Services Group vice president Andrew Purdey said it was here for dry docking and the installation of T Foils which he said will “improve ship ride performance and speed.” The installation and complete routine maintenance will take about a week, he said.