KATHMANDU, JUL 19 -
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala has demanded the decision to award the contract to Oberthur be reviewed and an independent probe be carried into the matter immediately.

“I smell a rat in the deal. An independent investigation should be carried to see what was behind the outcry over the decision,” she said. An unhappy Koirala sought all the documents and dossiers the day the MoFA chose Oberthur for the printing and supply of the smart passports. She questioned the “intent” of her officials who involved the technical expert to have helped prepare the tender documents in evaluating the bids. “The way they put me in dark while awarding the contract was disappointing,” the minister said. “When on Sunday they furnished me with tender documents after repeated requests, many important papers were missing. I have no intention to push the country into discredit internationally, but such a crucial decision should be transparent,” she added.

MoFA officials, however, said there was no provision to hold

an independent probe into the matter. Koirala claimed such a probe was possible and the decision could be reviewed.

Posted on: 2010-07-20 08:12

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