Joehann Construction and Engineering Awarded Contract to Build Medical Stores Facility

So what the Ministry of Health did was to identify a project, in this case, the construction for a medical stores facility in Belmopan, and award the contract to Joehann Construction and Engineering, which is owned by the brother of Minister Rene Montero.  The ministry, however, failed to secure funding for the project.  It is a putting the “cart before the horse” situation that Minister Marin finds himself in.  For the tendering process, Joehann Construction and Engineering was awarded the contract through a limited tendering process. In other words, the general tender process was bypassed and Joehann Construction was selected. We asked Minister Marin about it today.

Pablo Marin

Pablo Marin, Minister of Health

“It was done with due diligence. I think it was four estimates that were put and the cheapest one was there and the person has already won. So I do not think that there is anything wrong with that. There is the building that he did in Cayo for the municipal. So it is there and it is beautiful. He has a history and he is doing a good job.”

Hipolito Novelo

“So sir you are saying that the fact he is the minister’s brother has nothing to do with it?”

Pablo Marin

“It has nothing to do with that. And also I will stop pay rent, six thousand dollars of rent. In the eleven years that I am spending, it is nearly about eighty thousand dollars. So eventually it will belong to us and it will be in a location that will benefit everything. So I still believe and I will continue to find the sources where I can do the building.”