The GSD has raised concerns following the recent award of the Northern Defences contract.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

Yesterday’s announcement regarding the Northern Defences tender raises serious questions which require  answers. 

The award of the potentially lucrative 20 year contract has been given to Fortress Attractions Ltd, one of the  shareholders of which is a well-known supporter of the governing GSLP and was an election agent at the  last general election as well as those of 2011, 2015 and 2019. 

The GSD has many other questions relating to the detail of the tender - which it has been unable to pose in  time for next week’s Parliament meeting as the announcement was made shortly after the deadline for filing  questions had passed – but just this issue of the obvious political connection between the successful tenderer  of a multi-million pound government contract and the governing party raises concerns. 

The GSD made the issue of the probity and transparency of the award of public contracts a central pillar of  its campaign at the general election. The need for reform on these issues of financial governance remain  relevant today. As part of its series of measures to tackle this long-standing and pernicious issue once and  for all, the GSD committed itself to introducing an anti-abuse law which would prevent or restrict people  ‘closely or directly’ related to the Government to tender or be awarded any Government contract.  

Damon Bossino MP said “It would need to be understood how this close political connection was addressed  in the tender process, if it was at all and the GSD therefore calls on the Government to explain the position.”  

What is clear to the GSD is that until there are specific rules governing this important area, the public  perception of there being conflicts of interests and issues of political i