APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Manipaul has criticised the government over what he described as an unacceptable delay in awarding a contract to salvage the MV Barima, warning that continued exposure to saltwater could further damage the vessel and compromise potential evidence.
Speaking at a Friday press conference, Manipaul said that 27 days have now passed since the closure of the Expressions of Interest for the salvaging of the MV Barima, yet no company had been awarded the contract.
“It is unacceptable,” Manipaul said, maintaining that the APNU’s position is that the vessel must be salvaged as soon as possible, preserved, and examined to determine exactly what transpired on the night of the incident.
Manipaul argued that recovering the vessel is essential not only for assessing the iron boat, but also for safeguarding evidence that may help investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and provide answers to the families.
According to the MP, saltwater continues to corrode and damage the vessel’s structure.
“The government continues to delay the process while the salt water continues to cause damage to the iron boat,” Manipaul contended.
APNU MP Sherod Duncan also highlighted the government’s reported estimate for the salvage exercise and the figures submitted by the companies that bid for the work.
Duncan referenced reports in state media indicating that the government had estimated the cost of salvaging the MV Barima at between $US8 million and US$10 million.
However, the bids opened by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board showed proposed costs ranging from more than $1 billion to just over $2 billion. Duncan said that he does not see the reason for the delay, since the bidders are below the government’s budget.
The Maritime Administration Department published an invitation for expressions of interest for the salvage of the MV Barima on August 1.
On Tuesday, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board opened bid documents from three companies: Industrial Fabrication Inc. submitted a bid of $1.895 billion, B.K. International submitted $1.034 billion, and KMS B.V. of the Netherlands submitted $2.0351 billion.
