THE Mid-Ocean News has learned that the contract to install Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on the island’s cars and motorbikes as part of the Government’s Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR) initiative has been awarded to 3M, not GMD Consulting as was incorrectly reported last week.GMD Consulting are, in fact, the Information Technology project consultants / project managers for Bermuda’s EVR scheme retained by the Transport Control Department (TCD) to help lah the initiative.

The Mid-Ocean News apologises for the error to both GMD Consulting and its principal Mr. David Burt, who is also chairman of the Progressive Labour Party.

The Mid-Ocean News quoted sources who described the supposed awarding of the installation contract to GMD as “cronyism” given Mr. Burt’s ties to the governing party.

The newspaper also regrets this error and accepts these charges are untrue. We apologise for any embarrassment caused to Mr. Burt and GMD Consulti

A series of written questions submitted by the Mid-Ocean News to the Transport Minister’s Press Secretary last Wednesday on the background to the awarding of the RFID contract, said to be worth $2.4 million, were not answered.

These questions included references to GMD Consulting which the Transport Minister declined to point out were erroneous.

3M, the US corporate giant which develops vehicle registration systems, is designing and implementing Bermuda’s RFID-based system. In addition to tracking down errant registration and vehicle inspections, the system will automate emissions and insurance compliance as well.