Controversy swirls and Higer loses out from bid

PANAMA. It seems the President is adamant about new buses being the solution to the transportation problem in the country.

On Wednesday, President Martin Torrijos assured that the Transmovil project would not be suspended, despite calls from different political and civil society factions.

Torrijos told media outlets that the accusations and scandals that surround the tender process needed to be clarified, but that they were not good enough reasons to stop the process altogether.

“Any anomaly needs to be detected and actions need to be taken,” Torrijos said, insisting that the purchase of the buses would continue.

On that note, the board of directors of the Transit and Terrestrial Transport Authority (ATTT) held a meeting yesterday to put an end to the uncertainty revolving the Chinese company participating in the tender process, Higer Bus Company Limited.

Higer was first granted a 48 hour extension when it presented an incomplete proposal, raising complaints from the other participating companies. Complications arose as Higer’s insurance policy was declared false by the insurance company quoted in their proposal, Interoceanica de Seguros.

During yesterday’s meeting, Higer was officially removed from the bidding and a new evaluating committee set up to review two other proposals submitted earlier from Volvo DCM andGrupo Q.

But the controversy is far from over. Higer has presented a general complaint in the Public Ministry against “whoever is responsible for the possible crimes against public faith”.

The ATTT also submitted a complaint.