Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas declined giving an opinion on a report on irregularities in Ministry of Defense procurement to combat Covid-19 epidemic presented by investigative journalist Nuria Piera on Saturday. Dr. Sánchez Cárdenas explained that each ministry is responsible for its own purchases.
“Each ministry makes its purchases and the Ministry of Defense will give its explanations,” he said when asked about a report by investigative reporter Nuria Piera. Piera presented evidence of irregularities in the Ministry of Defense procurement. The Ministry of Defense was not available to answer to the evidence.
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Defense did respond to the findings presented during the Nuria Piera TV investigative report. The Ministry of Defense announced it was immediately canceling the procurement order after the evidence was presented there were “administrative weaknesses” in the contracting. Defense Minister Rubén Dario Paulino Sem said that before launching a new tender, the ministry would restructure its procurement procedures.
Nuria Piera had presented evidence the Ministry of Defense had opened a tender for the purchase of 88 thermal cameras for RD$167,880 each and 15 confiscopes for RD$159,500 per unit for RD$16,830,180.
The Ministry of Defense opened the emergency procurement on 28 April 2020 and specified the brands for the items that would need to be supplied in two days — Flix Camera Xt TG267 with Aurix 2.0 and Confiscope G20 with Aurix 2.0. Piera said that according to the contract, these thermometers would be used to identify cases of dengue. Piera says that the procurement law prohibits the specifying of a brand.
Piera explained that a quick check on the Internet showed that the Ministry of Defense could have ordered the product from the manufacturers for RD$52,269 each, including taxes, transport and other fees, less than a third of the starting price posted by the Ministry of Defense in the tender. Piera explained in the investigative TV report that the items are not sold for medical use, but for use in industrial electrical and air-conditioning installations.
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Hoy
N Digital
Diario Libre
11 May 2020