By Aminata S Kuyateh
Marie Senghore, a civil engineer and managing director of Bajam Enterprise Limited, yesterday appeared before the LG Commission of Enquiry to testify on two contracts her company won from the Kanifing Municipality Council in 2019.
The two contracts are fencing of the Bakoteh dumpsite and construction of the KMC Municipal Library.
She revealed that the fencing project cost D8.5 million while the library was constructed at the tune of D32 million.
On how she got to know about the fencing contract, the witness said she came across a newspaper advertisement and her company decided to submit bidding documents after which they waited for months before they were called by the KMC for discussions.
She confirmed that three companies were called separately by the KMC primarily for price negotiations and after the negotiations, they were informed through writing that they have been awarded the contract.
The commission requested her to bring the letter and the incorporation documents of the company.
When asked about the bid security deposit, she stated that she could not remember making that and added that she cannot remember a requirement for a bid security.
When asked about her bidding documents, the witness said she did not keep records. Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez told her that it was her responsibility to keep records as required by law.
The witness said her company holds five bank accounts and the commission requested her to bring bank statements of her company covering May 2018 to January 2023 when she appears again on the 5 November.
