OSHAKATI – Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Bro-Mathew Shingwadja has dared Bertha Security Services to challenge a decision by a review panel to award a tender, initially awarded to them, to a different company.
The contract was terminated after the review panel ruled that Bertha Security Services did not meet the financial requirements when it submitted its bid documents, and was instead given to Shikuvule Trading.
“Their financial statements were missing from the bid documents,” said Shingwadja.
The decision to award Bertha Security Services was challenged by another company, which had bid for the same tender.
Although Bertha Security Services management feel the termination was unfair, Shingwadja said the company had ample time to challenge the second decision, but did not do so until their time lapsed.
Bertha Security Services earlier this year entered into a two-year-contract with the labour ministry to provide security services to the ministry’s offices in the four northern regions.
Bertha Security Services CEO Linus Simeon is adamant that the contract was terminated to be awarded to an acquaintance of Shingwadja on allegations that Bertha Security Services did not have the required equipment for the job.
“If we did not meet the financial requirements, why did they award it to us in the first place?” questioned Simeon.
In response to the allegation Shingwadja admitted there was an error made when the tender was initially awarded.
“We are not denying that we made a mistake. Mistakes are made and that is why the review panel is in place to correct such errors,” Shingwadja said.
He further said the decision by the review panel was solely based on the financial statements.
“There was no mention of equipment in the allocation of the tender,” Shingwadja said.
He further said it should also be noted that the company that challenged the decision after Bertha was awarded the tender was not the same company that won the second round.
Shingwadja said that although the review panel time for Bertha Security Services to challenge the decision has lapsed, they can still approach the court to put the matter to rest.