Mohale FM FRESH controversy has erupted over the construction of the multi-million maloti headquarters of the Lesotho Standards Institute (LSI). This after allegations that Chinese contractor, QingJian and Founda Construction Joint Venture, has begun implementing the M259.9 million project despite the cancellation of its tender award following objections from rival bidders.
How a company can proceed with implementing a cancelled tender, is inexplicable and only goes to exemplify the depth of the rot in the administration of public procurement processes in Lesotho.
The LSI is expected to become Lesotho’s key product testing and certification facility. The tender for the construction of its HQ should have been refloated after the cancellation of the award to QingJian. But it now seems a re-award was done through the backdoor and QingJian is now on site mysteriously proceeding with the project.
The Lesotho Times visited the construction site at Ha Tikoe and observed that works had already begun. Supporting the construction works are GWC Consulting Engineers as project manager, Trend Group as architect, JG Afrika as civil and structural engineer, Talani Quantity Surveyors as quantity surveyor, and Green Consultancy as environmental consultant.
