ACC orders MTDC to cancel Ulhigamu resort bid

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered the Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to cancel its bid to purchase Rf50 million worth of construction materials for the Ulhigamu resort being developed by the corporation. The ACC cited irregularities with the bid and failure to comply with government bidding procedures as the reason for the cancellation.

According to the statement issued by the ACC last Thursday, the invitation for bids for the project had not been submitted to the Tender Evaluation Board. Although it was indicated that the bid invitations had been sent under MTCC’s “Procurement and Policies Direct Invitation”, the statement said that there were no documents from the company’s directors’ board that indicated that the bid had been made under ‘extenuating circumstances”.

The Anti-Corruption Committee also noted that while the bid had been submitted in violation of government procedures, it also violated the MTDC’s own Procurement and Contracting Policy and Procurement Manual.

All contracts worth more than Rf1.5 million (US$117,000) are required to be screened by the Finance Ministry’s Tender Evaluation Board.