The contract which is worth some $327,000 received Cabinet’s attention five months after the start date of the contract.

In a statement on Friday November 26, Cabinet Office stated that during a meeting on November 17, Cabinet decided that the tender process be waived to provide a new contract for the provision of security services at the Elmore Stoutt High School by Lesmore Smith dba Top Priority Security Services.

“For the six-month period from July to December 2021 due to Cabinet's decision to redefine the scope of services and noted that payment in the amount of $327,360 is available for the period July to December, 2021,” it stated.

This is not the first time for 2021 that Cabinet has waived the tender process for work by Top Priority Security Services.

In October, some nine months after the start date of the security contract, the Cabinet on September 29 approved the waiving of the tender process. The contract sum was $286,845.00.

At the time, it was stated that Cabinet decided that the tender process be waived for the provision of transportation services by Top Priority Security Services Ltd. of government funds (revenue) collected from various departments and transferred to the banks for the period 1st January 2021 to 31st December, 2021 in the sum of $286,845.00.

“And that a notice for tender should be issued to procure the services for the upcoming year 2022,” it stated.