The President of Island Cement Ltd. says the bidding process on the Dockyard Cement Silos is not open and fair — with tight deadlines aimed at discouraging new bidders.

According to Myron Piper, contractors such as himself, have been given less than a month to meet the conditions of the Wedco Board RFP.

Though companies are finally getting the chance to bid on the silos, the "unrealistic deadlines" mean that only current owner Dennis Correia or those with prior knowledge of the RFP conditions could meet them, said Mr. Piper.

The businessman is currently negotiating with two major cement suppliers to successfully bid for the lease to operate the silos.

But he has called for the local public to "closely examine the small group of individuals or companies who appear to be the beneficiaries of favouritism".

Mr. Piper said there were a few African American Companies, two or three local Portuguese building contractors and one partly black owned construction company that were raking in most of the contracting jobs on the Island.

He said: "If we look factually at Government contracts awarded in the past four years, Dennis Correia's company, Correia Construction Ltd represents a small segment of our society who has simply been awarded numerous Government contracts.

"We have two Portuguese and one partially black-owned construction company being awarded the majority of Government Contracts on an aggregate volume basis," Mr. Piper said.

The Dockyard Cement Silos were owned by Bermuda Cement Company shareholders including Jim Butterfield for close to 42 years.

Three years ago Mr. Butterfield sold BCC after the West End Development Corporation (Wedco) said he would have to pay for a costly relocation of the silos.

The property has been owned by Correia Construction since then, but Corriea Construction never underwent the "competitive bidding process" explained Mr. Piper. Now Wedco have decided these silos don't necessarily have to be relocated after all — and put the property out to tender earlier this month.

Mr. Piper said: "For three years, Island Cement vigorously campaigned to encourage Wedco to open up the bidding process on the cement silos, Wedco now appears to be in a rush to award this contract based on the requested response deadlines.

"Upon reflection solely on a common-sense approach all respondent bidders must have the same concerns with regard to the response time given in attempting to meet the conditions of the Wedco Board RFP.

"Why the unrealistic deadlines to award this contract before August?," he asked, adding: "We all have developed our own suspicions. The goal of a competitive bidding process is to have as many bidders as possible respond to the solicitation, not discourage bidders ".

Mr. Piper encouraged Wedco's Board Members, Minister of Works and Engineering Derrick Burgess and The Bermuda Cabinet as the public's steward to make sure "the bidding process is open and fair".

He said: "This will avoid the present perception that this RFP is merely an exercise in futility, cloaking Government's attempt to hand over the facility to Dennis Correia."