Board dropped Post PNG

By REBECCA KUKU
PNG Postal Service with offices in 20 of the 22 provinces in the country was dropped by the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) after receiving a letter from the Health Department secretary, the Public Accounts Committee was told yesterday.
The committee inquiry into the procurement, supply and distribution of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs in PNG summoned the postal service to establish why it no longer provided logistics for the department as it did in 2011 and all the way to the ’90s.
Chairman Sir John Pundari said in a letter dated June 13, 2012, written by Health Secretary Pascoe Kase to CSTB that the Post PNG had failed to deliver 100 per cent medical kit supplies in its previous engagement under the AusAID programme.
It also stated that Post PNG had engaged many contractors showing that it lacked the capacity and had no contract completion certificate.
However, its chief executive officer Peter Tepure denied all three allegations raised in the letter, saying they had offices in all 20 provinces except the two new ones, Jiwaka and Hela.
“We have an electronic track and trace system in place, project cameras that have GPS, fleet of vehicles and storage facilities nationwide and we have years of experience,” he said.
“We also have contract completion certificates from Charles Kendall from the AusAID programme.”
Tepure said they had bid to provide logistics over the years, but did not hear any word back from the department or CSTB.
CSTB recommended the PNG Postal Service for Tender No. CSTB 2941-provisions of logistics and distribution services of medical supplies and other health related materials throughout PNG.
Postal service had tendered K19.9million.
But CSTB rescinded its decision after receiving a letter from the Health secretary and recommended for the contract to be awarded to the LD Logistics for K25million.