Letter to the Editor

There is ‘no need to justify contract sum’

Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the article on the front page of your 2 June issue regarding the Savannah Primary School Project.

I see no reason to comment further on the security and safety of the site as I outlined the facts in my previous letter.

As contractors, when we tender on a project we are not told what the budget is. We are given the drawings and specifications and try to provide the lowest price possible.

In the case of the Savannah School kitchen addition four bids were submitted with Unit Construction’s being the lowest, and the highest being more than $400,000; we were then awarded the contract as is standard practice in fair competitive bidding.

I see no need to attempt to justify the amount of the contract sum ($341,851), as anyone familiar with construction could take one look at the drawings and realise that our price is very fair and reasonable, considering the scope of works.

If the Auditor General is asked to investigate I am sure that the Government departments involved with the design and tendering process have nothing to hide. Unit Construction Ltd certainly has no fear of an investigation.

However I think that the Auditor General’s time would be better spent reviewing the contracts involving the Turtle Farm and Cruise Ship docks (totalling more than $50 million) to see if they were tendered and awarded to the lowest bidders as was the Savannah School addition.

Gordon McLaughlin
Managing Director
Unit Construction Ltd

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