Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Johanne Prosper
Published on 2024-03-28 07:30:05
Having launched an expedited bidding process on Friday, the Ministry of Arts and Culture is once again unsuccessfully soliciting the Government Printing Office. The ministry ordered 20 posters of the former Prime Minister and ex-leader of the MSM at a cost of Rs 133,400.
There seems to be a class tangle within the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage in the context of the program planned to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the late Sir Anerood Jugnauth tomorrow. Indeed, Avinash Teeluck’s ministry seems to be struggling with its order of 200,000 booklets tracing the life of the emblematic leader of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) since last Friday.
Information coming from the Renganaden Seeneevassen Building indicates that in addition to launching an express bidding exercise for the design, printing, and supply of 200,000 copies of this booklet for the event, the ministry was forced to reverse course. It had to quickly turn to the Government Printing Office. This decision was allegedly made after the public display of parameters that raised eyebrows regarding the bidding process, which was supposed to be completed by midday Monday due to technical impossibilities of the printing operation.
Therefore, informed sources at the ministry state that official contacts have been made with the Government Printing Office since Monday to find a solution for the design and layout of the 28-page booklet that will be printed in color on glossy paper. According to the bidding process, this order was supposed to be delivered yesterday, before the event tomorrow.
Given the difficulties, the ministry asked the Government Printing Office if these 200,000 copies could be provided by next Tuesday. The Government Printing Office informed the ministry that it would be impossible to deliver 200,000 booklets of 28 pages by April 2, 2024, due to the various processes involved in production such as designing, proofing, printing, binding, etc., and the short time available. The Government Printing Office also stated that if overtime hours were considered and authorization for printing was granted by March 29, the delivery of these 200,000 copies could be completed by April 13. It was also mentioned that the ministry would be responsible for the cost of the overtime hours.
Another issue that arose for Avinash Teeluck’s team is that the Government Printing Office also indicated that they would not be able to print the copies of SAJ’s booklet, which were supposed to be delivered today, as their digital press is currently not operational.
The printing of these booklets would have cost Rs 2,018,000, at Rs 10.09 per unit, and the 200,000 copies would have been provided in batches of 8,000 copies from April 3 to April 12. Some printing sector players wonder if this contract had already been awarded to a company and if the bidding process was just a smokescreen. These 200,000 copies will not be ready tomorrow as Avinash Teeluck’s ministry had hoped, as the MSM planned to mark the event with pomp this year in anticipation of the upcoming legislative elections.
On the other hand, a contract of Rs 133,400 was allocated to a private printing press for 20 posters of the MSM’s founding father. These posters will be exhibited at the SSR Botanic Garden tomorrow, where a ceremony will take place from 9:30 am to pay tribute to the former Prime Minister, who passed away on June 3, 2021, at the age of 91. The official program currently includes laying wreaths at SAJ’s samadhi, with family members ready to welcome guests for prayers or a photo exhibition tracing the career of the former MSM leader.
With Teeluck’s ministry tangled up in the event preparations, it seems that the program in Pamplemousses for this weekend will be limited. No details have yet been circulated regarding the unveiling of SAJ’s statue at the Caudan Waterfront.
It is reported that next week, the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage will have to distribute the awaited booklets to schools. As for the waterfront statue, there are delays in the completion of the structure despite visible preparations for the monument.
This statue of the former PM will occupy a prominent place on the Port Louis waterfront, next to that of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. According to insider sources, the statue will be slightly larger than SSR’s and will cost Rs 13.5 million. This commemoration of SAJ’s life is part of the MSM’s electoral warm-up before the serious political activities begin in the next two weeks.
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
