Netbooks purchase bypassed tendering

FILE PHOTO: President Bharrat Jagdeo presenting a laptop to students at the launch of the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative on January 21st, 2011.

The netbooks that have so far been procured for the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative have not gone through the National Procure-ment and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), reliable sources have said.

Stabroek News has confirmed that in November, 150 Lenovo instruments had been procured for the pilots through locally authorized Lenovo dealers Starr Computers and Vishnu Panday and Associates Inc. It was disclosed that warranty, service and support for the instruments would be provided by local companies.

About 100 of these were ceremonially