25 July 2010
KUWAIT: A senior Kuwait Municipality official revealed on Friday that an investigation is currently underway into the reason for the disparity between the costs originally quoted by the municipality for the public cleaning tender and the far higher costs charged by the cleaning firms. Municipality general manager Ahmad Al-Subaih stressed the municipality's commitment to ensuring that all cleaning contracts for public areas are closely monitored to ensure the highest standards of work. Concerns have been raised within the Municipal Council and the municipality over the sharp increase in the prices charged by the companies involved, said Al-Subaih, adding that this has led to suspicions of price-fixing and manipulation, which prompted the investigation in order to prevent any squandering of public funds.
Meanwhile, Municipal Council member Jenan Bushehri has criticized the steps taken by the municipality to reassess the contractors' bids, reported Al-Rai. Bushehri claimed that the investigation is simply a strategy aimed at diverting suspicion while ensuring that the current cleaning firms' contracts are extended.
The councilor also raised questions over the municipality's failure to reconsider the costs of additional materials and services in the process of estimating the total cost of public cleaning contracts.
Given the fact that the new contracts won't be ready for another six months, it seems likely that the current contracts will be extended," she added.
Meanwhile, official sources said that two cases lost by Kuwait Municipality cost more than KD 3 million. Sources said the reason behind losing the cases is negligence on the part of concerned authorities in following the two cases. hose responsible for them did not present the required documents as they were missing without a plausible explanation.
They said the persons who filed the two cases against the municipality were ready, contrary to municipality officials who were surprised regarding the court sessions dates. The sources said that an investigation is underway at the municipality to find out what transpired and the real rationale behind the lack of necessary documents before getting ready for the appeals court session.
In another development, a project to construct the 8th Ring Road has been canceled, informed an official source at the Ministry of Public Works. The source said the ministry is waiting for the decision of the council of ministers and for it to break the contract it signed with the engineering advisor at a cost of KD 850,000.
This is expected to happen over the next two weeks. The source expressed his regret at the cancellation of the "vital project" which was expected to link Shuaiba port with the regional road towards the north and Abdaly and Salmy borders.
KUWAIT: A senior Kuwait Municipality official revealed on Friday that an investigation is currently underway into the reason for the disparity between the costs originally quoted by the municipality for the public cleaning tender and the far higher costs charged by the cleaning firms. Municipality general manager Ahmad Al-Subaih stressed the municipality's commitment to ensuring that all cleaning contracts for public areas are closely monitored to ensure the highest standards of work. Concerns have been raised within the Municipal Council and the municipality over the sharp increase in the prices charged by the companies involved, said Al-Subaih, adding that this has led to suspicions of price-fixing and manipulation, which prompted the investigation in order to prevent any squandering of public funds.
Meanwhile, Municipal Council member Jenan Bushehri has criticized the steps taken by the municipality to reassess the contractors' bids, reported Al-Rai. Bushehri claimed that the investigation is simply a strategy aimed at diverting suspicion while ensuring that the current cleaning firms' contracts are extended.
The councilor also raised questions over the municipality's failure to reconsider the costs of additional materials and services in the process of estimating the total cost of public cleaning contracts.
Given the fact that the new contracts won't be ready for another six months, it seems likely that the current contracts will be extended," she added.
Meanwhile, official sources said that two cases lost by Kuwait Municipality cost more than KD 3 million. Sources said the reason behind losing the cases is negligence on the part of concerned authorities in following the two cases. hose responsible for them did not present the required documents as they were missing without a plausible explanation.
They said the persons who filed the two cases against the municipality were ready, contrary to municipality officials who were surprised regarding the court sessions dates. The sources said that an investigation is underway at the municipality to find out what transpired and the real rationale behind the lack of necessary documents before getting ready for the appeals court session.
In another development, a project to construct the 8th Ring Road has been canceled, informed an official source at the Ministry of Public Works. The source said the ministry is waiting for the decision of the council of ministers and for it to break the contract it signed with the engineering advisor at a cost of KD 850,000.
This is expected to happen over the next two weeks. The source expressed his regret at the cancellation of the "vital project" which was expected to link Shuaiba port with the regional road towards the north and Abdaly and Salmy borders.
© Kuwait Times 2010
