SOMERSET, Manchester — Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips is calling for a review of the procurement process in selecting contractors for government projects based on inexpense, timing, and quality of work.

“We have a tendency of giving the lowest bidder the job, and in many instances that lowest bidder cannot manage the job. I think we have to look at that — especially for smaller projects,” Phillips said last Friday at the opening of a water shop in Somerset, Manchester.

He compared the completion of the $21 million-project at Somerset to a tank in Wildnerness, also in his constituency.

“… We are having a problem with [a contractor] at Wilderness. That tank was given out some years ago [for repair] and not even six months after, it continued to leak,” he told his audience which consisted of Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie and officials from the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

Phillips complained that there have been issues with the Government’s HOPE social housing programme.

“I have seen it even with the HOPE programme houses where the lowest bidder gets the [contract] to build and within six months and even a year, it is still not completed. When completed the roof is leaking or something, because they have short-changed the construction that is taking place,” said Phillips.

“I think it is something that we have to look at overall in Government, in looking at the affordability of that lowest bidder in how it is that they can take on the job and complete it within time,” he added.

Phillips said the water shop at Somerset will benefit scores of residents.

“Forty thousand gallons will go a far way. I can tell you that you will have people coming from probably Mandeville to get water here, because water is actually an issue in the parish of Manchester; it is a big issue and one that is being rectified in path,” he said.

“Even the expansion of water main coming from Kingsland into Mandeville will only fix a small part of the water issue in the parish of Manchester,” added Phillips.

Phillips expressed gratitude to property owner Dulcie Williams for giving up land space for the water shop in Somerset.

Williams said she felt compelled to assist in alleviating the water crisis in the community.

“I was born here, to be truthful. I am living in Mandeville and my heart goes out at times when I come down here and realise that even some of the elderly have a problem getting water; and then when this thing came up, I said it is a good idea,” she said.