Government Awards $1 Million Tyre Contract
Earlier today [May 16] Premier Paula Cox announced that the Office of Project Management and Procurement has granted Government’s tyre contract — valued at just over a million dollars — to three local vendors.
Premier Cox is pictured below with the successful vendors of Government’s vehicle tyre contract – from L to R are Vic Ball, Procurement Officer, Sheldon Robinson of Discount Tyre & Wheel; Ashmead Ali of Affordable Tyre and Joe Ponte of Bermuda Tyre Company.
The three suppliers will be supplying tyres to the Bermuda Police Service, the Public Transport Board, the Bermuda Fire Service and Public Works which are also responsible for servicing the remaining Government vehicles.
The Premier’s full statement follows below:
Good afternoon,
I am pleased to provide you today with a success story achieved by the Office of Project Management and Procurement [OPMP] in relation to the tendering and awarding of Government contracts.
You will remember that in my press conference of 16thJanuary 2012, I stated that the Office of Project Management and Procurement was evaluating contracts for goods and/or services which are common across all government departments, such as paper, vehicle tyres and maintenance, toner.
This is an area where the Government can effect changes to benefit a greater number of suppliers, yet also ensure that the Government and the quangos get best value for money.
The first major contract that was reviewed was the purchase of tyres for Government vehicles. The OPMP found a disparity in the prices charged to different Government departments over a period of time. It should be noted that this problem is not unique to the Bermuda Government.
A similar discovery was made by Sir Philip Green in October 2010 in an Efficiency Review of Government Spending in the United Kingdom where he concluded that “The [UK] Government is failing to leverage both its credit rating and its scale”; and that “basic commodities are bought at significantly different prices across Government departments.”Our approach to this issue is to provide the OPMP with the authority to address this problem with the urgency that it deserves.
The mandate of the OPMP is to be much more proactive in reaching out to companies that may be eligible to submit a tender to ensure that they are aware of the publication of the tender; and their objective was achieved with this tender.
I am pleased to announce that we have awarded the tyre contract valued at just over a million dollars to three vendors. I would like to introduce you to the managers of each company: Mr. Sheldon Robinson and Mrs. Kim Foggo of Discount Tyre & Wheel; Mr. Ashmead Ali of Affordable Tyre and Mr. Joe Ponte of Bermuda Tyre Company.
The three suppliers will be supplying tyres to the Bermuda Police Service, the Public Transport Board, the Bermuda Fire Service and Public Works which are also responsible for servicing the remaining Government vehicles.
Just call the election Paula.
Look at the make up of the “vendors”.
Tokenism.
Just imagine if Goverment (sp) could procure tires.
Feel the tread.
Bermudians are under the rubber.
Maybe I’m looking at a different picture than you, but there are 3 vendors in the picture. 2 seem to be “persons of colour” and 1 not. So that’s 66% which is what one would expect based on the demographics of Bermuda. So how exactly is this tokenism?
Huh? Say Wha? Unbelievable – come on Premier Cox – name it, call it, give birth to it – just say iT… The Election will be held…………. because you are just turning more and more people away from you and your party. SOUND OFF!!
Is Discount synonymous with cheap ? Paula you can’t be serious ? Cheap tyres on Public Transportation BUSES .. PLEAZZE Thats a lot of weight rolling around on slippers . Waiting for the lawsuits
umm……….. just because the OWNER of DISCOUNT TYRE has discount in her business name dont mean that they are cheap tyres ! so stop being a hater because she has accomplished more than YOU .THE ONLY PERSON WHO SHOULD BE SUED IS YOUR MOTHER FOR HAVING YOU. IS YOUR NAME LOW SELF ESTEEM. YOU NEED TO FIND JESUS.
Mrs. Cox you have done a wonderful job. I know the owner of Discount Tyres, she has had my car for years and we are very pleased with her products. Excelent choice.
We I have replaced many tires from Discount Tire and many of them are low rated Chinese tires and burn out on our type of road in less than a year. The price was the same as a wellknown brand tire and let not talk about having the reject tires that are being sold with the Federal name ground off the side of the tire.
Come on now…. lets sell rejects for reject prices Kim and sell retreads for retread prices…..
@ Mountbatten: No, ‘Discount’is not synonymous with cheap. When I had a car, I always bought my tyres from that place and was very pleased with the product and the service – quick, efficient, effective and very polite and personable (lots of smiling faces). Good for you, Missy!!
So UBP/OBA sheeps I guess your saying none of the vendors are worth it. That’s why you will lose the next election you just don’t get it! Even after changing your name to OBA to win black votes, you still don’t get it!
Undecided voter- if you are number 20,000 sounds like you are part of the herd!
I must ask why you think that because one or two people speak their mind, you attribute this to the entire OBA? The OBA speak for themselves all the time and rarely hold back from signing their real names. How do you know these people are not PLP supporters who are fed up? I am!
An honest question:
Why doesn’t the Government purchase their tyres directly from the manufacturers in the U.S., simply based on the assumption that they are a big enough customer? This would cut an additional level of expense (in this case the profit made by these “tyre brokers”).
It aids our economy to keep our funds (taxpayers’ funds) on island as much as possible. BUY BDA. These tyre brokers, as you call them, emply local staff, pay local expenses (rent, utilities, etc) and pay local taxes. Using them as a supplier to govt is a win win for the economy. Like like in the retail sector, once we spend that money overseas it never comes back.
just like the two or four that are in jail?
This govermit needs to be saving money wherever it can – - buying tires in bulk overseas would have been MUCH cheaper than buying locally! Yes, it sucks, but it is what it is – this govermit is in DEEP DEBT…they need to be saving wherever they can. Period!!!!!!!
Total photo op. Call the election, this crap is making me nauseous. Enough already.
I could be wrong but … I thought that Z. DeSilva had this contract under Ewarts Premiership.
Hmmmmm.
If you want my vote madam Premier you’ll have to do more that overturn the cronyism displayed by EB. Turn them over to the law and let justice be done. I want ACCOUNTABILITY.
@ Truth,
Exactly what I understood on this issue, so why hasn’t the Govt. been doing this for the last fourteen years?? That’s how you ‘share the wealth’ (giggle). Instead its been ‘my mates’ and to hell with the rest of you!! Now though they are desperate to hold onto power so they are ‘opening it up’ to others, election this year anybody??
Don’t be fooled Bermuda, send this pathetic excuse off a Government into exile!!
Maybe the Premiere can tell us which companies have had this contract before and for how long.
It amazes me that people would ignore this amazing display of cronyism and STILL vote these lot back in. Those who are already wealthy have been Getting fatter on contracts that should have gone to those who needed it most.
A rising tide should lift all boats but in this case it lifted PLP boats first. The PLP will throw them crumbs, and they will scrounge around at their feet and be thankful instead of demanding accountability.
I believe these contracts were all put out to open tender and the selection was fair and above board. (I know, very unusual for this government). That’s probably why you don’t see Ewart’s favourite tyre supplier among the selections.
Good to see the business spread around too. Since the PLP now has so many UBP members, they’re starting to act like the UBP.
ballooning their wat to a store near you……….health Minister please tell the Learder that this is not a good ………
A press conference for every little thing under the sun. Totally amazing. Please do some work instead of posing, none of you lot look like Hallie Berry so please stop clogging up the cameras.
lolllllllllll
Truth (original) you are correct, Minister deSilva’s firm did hold the old contract.
I welcome this, whether it’s election speak or not, at least Ms Albon and the Procurement Office is starting to make changes and stop the cronyism. I don’t care whether it’s PLP or OBA who make the changes as long as they are made.
I’ve written this before but – the company I work for has also benefited from Ms Albons changes, we were near the brink but now we have our heads above the water,so much that we have hired a new trainee, we couldn’t do that when we had to work through one of the “big boys” and they tool all the profit. Go Ms Albon!
And this is NEWS!!!!!! Getting desperate are we?
It’s election time “La de La de La.” Oh ya…soon you’ll be able to bring in pit bulls again. Dog fighters will be happy! Ya gonna see lots of “nicey’s” like this in the run up to the writ. It’s called buying the electorate.
This is a joke, right?
your lifes a joke
More Cogwash…must be an election looming…
I’m not sure this is worthy of a press conference, but I’m also unsure why people are so vehemently against local purchasing of tyres. Firstly no one commenting here has any idea of the cost savings of purchasing overseas as suggested nor does anyone know what the arrangement is with these local vendors. I know it is typically assumed that overseas is ALWAYS cheaper, but surely everyone here has seen from time to time (at least from a retail consumer standpoint) that it’s not awlays cheaper. Case in point (again from a retail perspective), I think you’d be hard pressed to get a flat screen TV landed in Bermuda for a significantly better price than M&M; and even if you did, then you need to contemplate warranty and customer service/support (which I personally think M&M is great at). And as for these specific tyre vendors, the only one I know is Discount Tyre. I live nowhere near Parson’s road nor am I prone to find myself in that area much, but I can assure you that I don’t know anyone other than Discount Tyre because I have been a loyal customer for the 10 years I’ve lived on this island. They are hard working, fair and trustworthy individuals. On more than one occassion they advised against replacing a tyre rather than having it fixed despite my readiness to have it replaced. They are a quality vendor and to the poster who assoicates “discount” with “cheap” you are absolutely wrong in this instance.
As a Bermudian I feel it so sad to read all the hateful, negative, rude, comments which everyone makes every day about OUR island and everyone who lives/works here. Can everyone just stop for one day with all the negativity towards one another and stop all the blaming and hatred! Yes there may be things we do not like and think we can’t change “which we can” but it starts with YOU not the Premier or the PLP or UBP BUT YOU! You want a solution then look at yourself and change yourself and you will not only find change but you will change everyone one around you. I think it is absolutely fantastic that these companies have been given a CHANCE where as before they would not stand a chance! This is about OUR country and helping each other. When my child who is under 10 is being negative I stop them and ask that they say 10 positive thingsto me! I ask the people who read this to think of 10 positive comments they can make towards OUR island or life…….then you will feel a change. You are the only person who is responsible for your own life no Premier or Party is going to help you if you dont help yourself first.
Bda Gov make sure the tyres you get have current dates on them and have not been removed.