I will fight for peoples’ interest, says Juffa

By HELEN TARAWA
NORTHERN Governor Gary Juffa says he will continue to raise issues of concern and fight for the peoples’ interest in Parliament.
Juffa told a press conference last Thursday that he would continue to talk about issues affecting the people most, including health.
He criticised the government’s decision to award a K57 million contract to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Limited to supply medical kits to health facilities throughout the country.
Juffa said this contract by the Department of Health was awarded at a time when the government did not have any money.
“At a time when we apparently don’t have any money and just before elections, they awarded the contract.
“When this contract was awarded it was rejected initially by the solicitor-general’s office because it was awarded via a certificate of inexpediency (COI).
“COI is only issued during a time of emergency, now the department issued the COI and engaged this company,” Juffa said.
Borneo Pacific was awarded the multi-million contract to supply all health centres and aid posts around the country with medical kits for the next 12 months.
Health Secretary Pascoe Kase said the K57.5 million contract was for the procurement of the medial supply kits for more than 1600 health facilities. Kase said the firm was awarded the contract through a tender process and for one year Borneo Pacific would supply medicine kits to the whole country, something that they had done well before.
The government had signed the contact with the pharmaceutical company last week and it is subject to review.