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Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Tuesday, 8 August 2023 01:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
European tourists sightseeing at the Gangaramaya in Colombo – Pic by Ruwan Walpola
In a shocking tampering of bid documents by officials over two key multi-million rupee procurement exercises has forced Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to float fresh tenders.
The ugly development concerns SLTPB’s quest to hire qualified and competent agencies to handle much needed Public Relations and Digital Marketing globally to boost tourist arrivals.
The initial inquiry has revealed a deliberate effort by the accused officials to alter a bid by substituting documents in favour of a party over another during the international tender.
Six SLTPB officials including Managing Director, Director Finance, Director PR and Assistant Director Procurement have been transferred to the Ministry.
Alleged offence in tender for PR had been exposed when the Committee responsible for Digital Marketing procurement was debating the final awarding. A bid clause which was flagged off in favour of one of the two short-listed was found to have been overlooked in the finalised tender for PR, prompting the Ministry to direct SLTPB to call for fresh tenders for both initiatives.
“The incident constitutes a criminal offence under Government regulations and is a clear case of intentional forgery. According to legal protocols, immediate suspension or termination is warranted upon the substantiation of concrete evidence,” sources told the Daily FT.
However the officers alleged to have engaged in the forgery had been slapped only with temporary transfer sans strict action which has sparked further concern within tourism industry stakeholders. Official sources clarified a formal inquiry was on-going.
Given the delay and urgency in executing promotional plans, the Daily FT learns that a pre-bid meeting of the PR tender has been called on Thursday (10 August) at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (SLITHM) Board Room. The process for Digital Marketing will be made public via a fresh tender, notice of which is scheduled for later this week.
Officials assured the new entire bidding process will adhere to the National Procurement Guideline 2006, underscoring the commitment to transparency, fairness, and accountability. Bids must be submitted by 25 August and the document calls for bid security of Rs. 4.5 million.
The PR campaign worth Rs. 450 million will target key markets including the UK, Germany, France, India, China, Australia, Russia, the Middle East (UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Jordan), and Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark). For this campaign the Daily FT learns that the necessary funds will be channelled through the SLTPB ensuring the extensive reach and impact of the campaign.
The proposed Rs. 500 million digital media advertising campaign will involve five key markets; UK, India, Australia, Russia and Middle East (UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).
