Tender manipulation leaves Police short of breathalysers and cash

By Darshana Abayasingha

It was the season to be jolly this December for Sri Lankan tipplers but not so much the Sri Lanka Police, as the Department ran short of over 180,000 breathalysers during this season due to tender irregularity. 

In addition to the inability to book drunk drivers for such offences, this also resulted in billions in rupees in lost revenue to the State, as driving under the influence carries a penalty of Rs. 25,000 in addition to the temporary suspension of a driver’s license. Though the Police Department had attempted to hurriedly purchase 90,000 breathalysers, it had reportedly failed due to funding and timing pressures. 

 

The cancellation of the original tender for 180,000 breathalysers was the result of a scam fronted by a supplier of security products, purportedly to bring disrepute to a fellow local competitor and turn the tender in favour of the offending entity. The company in question had proceeded to create a false website and claim it was an American entity connected to a manufacturing facility in France and had delivered samples with phony pricing to its competitor with malicious intent. 

The Department had awarded the tender to the unsuspecting company, and upon discovery that matters were amiss, the case was reported to the CID, when it was discovered that the website had been created in Sri Lanka 30 days before first contact and that the communications had been manipulated by the directors of the offending company. The French manufacturing facility too had confirmed to the CID that it had no connection to the said company, and that the tender and its contents had been manipulated. 

Despite the evidence unearthed during the investigation, it was alleged that high-level pressure was being exerted on the Police Department to go slow with its investigation, and as a result the matter was being dragged without reaching a conclusion. Such incidents reflect badly on Sri Lanka in the eyes of globally renowned suppliers, in addition to the inaction to bring to book the offenders.