The Central Agency for Public Tenders has rejected the request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Community Development and the Minister of State for Women and Childhood Affairs, Mai Al-Baghli, to approve the awarding of the tender No. WG5/2019-2020 for the radical maintenance of the wedding halls affiliated to the ministry located in the Capital, Farwaniya and Jahra governorates.
Sources told a local Arabic daily, Al-Baghli in her letter to the CAPT Secretary-General said, “Given the continuation of the implementation of Cabinet Resolution No. 669/2001, assigning the ministry the responsibility of managing and maintaining wedding halls to begin various social activities again, kindly agree to complete the procedures that have been suspended related to awarding the current tender, in order to shorten the time and effort expended for this and so that the halls can resume their activities as quickly as possible.”
The sources stated CAPT rejected the minister’s request and demanded that the ministry re-float the entire tender package again, indicating that the total financial cost of the contracts for maintenance of halls for civil engineering works and the restoration of ceilings and floors damaged as a result stoppage of activity during the epidemic is about 3.7 million dinars and for a period 3 years.
The annual report issued by the Audit Bureau, which includes all the observations and shortcomings that marred the audit, examination and review of the work of the Ministry of Social Affairs for fiscal 2021/2022, revealed the ministry’s neglect of the halls for several years has increased the required financial cost for its maintenance and restoration.