Dear Editor,
Reference is made to missive by Dr. Vishnu Bandhu (Feb 26) “Ministry’s response to procurement queries about pumps raises several questions”. It relates to alleged controversial advice offered by the Ministry to purchase pumps from a company, Morrison Pumps, in Holly-wood, Miami, Florida. I have been looking forward for a response from the Ministry to the queries. The Ministry has no business to guide or suggest to contractors from who to purchase pumps. The best and most effective pumps must be procured at the right price. I have been keenly following up on the purchase of pumps under the previous and this current administration. There has been a lot of errors for which there has not been accountability. The purchase of pumps has been mired in controversy for years. Neither administration seems to have gotten it right. And neither administration seems open, transparent, and above board in selecting a contractor and ordering the right pumps.
I was expecting a response from the Ministry on the questions raised by Dr. Bandhu about the company, Morrison Pumps, from Hollywood. There being no response from the Ministry or NDIA, is one to conclude that Dr. Bandhu is right and also for the public to assume the ordering of pumps will remain mired in controversy? Doesn’t the ministry even care to verify Bandhu’s allegation that the Morrison Pump Company is not a pump manufacturer as required by the tender and by contract? Won’t there at least be an independent investigation? Will engineers be sent to Morrison to examine the pumps and its factory like what took place when pumps were ordered from India? Will engineers be compelled to approve purchase from Morrison or any other company? Will a competent capable contractor be approved to install the pumps?
Sincerely,
Justin Defreitas