Chinese firm gets $0.5B contract to build UWI south campus

File: PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Tertiary Education Minister Fazal Karim show off drawing of the campus

The University of The West Indies (UWI) announced on Friday that it has awarded a contract to a Chinese firm to build the south campus of the university.

In a media release, UWI said it awarded the design/build contract to China Jiangsu International Economic Co-operation Corp (CJI).

The university said CJI was one of seven pre-qualified applicants and one of four that submitted tenders. 

UWI noted that CJI's successful tender was for $499,513,631.81. The three other bids were: 

• $769,934,445.50
• $770,585,965.60 
• $1,006,795,567.86

UWI stated, "The submitted tenders were evaluated and ultimately scored over a lengthy period.

UWI has noted the public discussion surrounding this tender and reaffirms that all proper procedures were adhered to." It said Acuitas Caribbean Ltd will be the project manager under the guidance of the campus projects office of UWI.

Former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association (TTCA) Mikey Joseph said it is "surprising" and "appalling" that UWI approved the Chinese firm, which he claimed has a poor track record.

Joseph said despite the best efforts of the TTCA to show the poor performance of CJI, the university went ahead with the award. He said the university's decision is "not in the national best interest". Joseph said the lowest bidder is not necessarily the best.

He said the firm that won the contract had been involved in building of several schools in Trinidad & Tobago, the University of Trinidad and Tobago Campus at Tamana and the eTeck Flagship building in Tamana. He said the firm did not deliver any of those projects on time and within budget.

The UWI South campus was officially launched on February 24 last year. It is being built on 100 acres that were formerly used for sugar cultivation. The sod turning ceremony took place in January.