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CMC’s 60 million-rupee vehicle deal in double trouble
View(s):A Colombo Municipal Council’s General Council Meeting where a controversial vehicle deal worth over Rs. 60 million was to be passed for the second time was postponed this week due to the lack of quorum.Council Member Mahendra de Silva said a majority of the members who opposed the fresh bid to pass the deal avoided the meeting. The notice sent to the MMCs by the Municipal Secretary stated that the previous meeting was ‘deferred and unfinished’ due to not adopting the items on the agenda that included the passing of the vehicle deal.
“The previous meeting on March 25 was not deferred. It was concluded,” Mr. Silva said.He charged that the tender procedure was violated with regard to the purchase of 11 double cabs after the council gave its approval on December 30 last year to buy the vehicles from Toyota Lanka following a recommendation of the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC).
However, on December 31, the Commissioner sent a letter to United Motors Lanka PLC awarding the tender for the supply of double cabs.“This is a violation as the members of the Council were unaware of the change. As it was a closed tender, the TEC gave the approval for further negotiations with the same company, but not to switch to another. The same day, a letter was forwarded to the Mayor by the Commissioner seeking his approval, which he gave to the Procurement Manager. This is without the consultation of the Finance Committee or the Council,” Mr. Silva said.
He said that after the Finance Committee recommended the deal on November 19 last year, the Council on December 30 agreed to buy the vehicles from Toyota Lanka and an approved proposal could not be brought to the Council for six months. In the letter to the Mayor on December 31, the Commissioner stated that though the price of a double cab was Rs. 6,350,000 at United Motors and 5,750,000 at Toyota Lanka, United Motors had agreed to give a Rs. 685,400 discount while Toyota will give a Rs. 75,000 discount. However, the United Motors had said the discount would be given only if the CMC purchased all its vehicle requirements including three Rosa buses, four crew cabs, 10-12-seater vans and seven Lancer cars from the company.“The exchange of letters took place just after the day the Council approved the purchase from Toyota. The dealings with United Motors are not known to the Council. Members of the Council are displeased over this controversial deal,” he said.
Asked for her comments, Commissioner Bhadrani Jayawardena said she would discuss the matter with the Mayor and make a statement.