Parliament buying fine china for tea
MPs eat, drink in style
Published:
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Anika Gumbs-Sandiford
The Miscellaneous Service Cart which is currently being looked at for use in Parliament. It will cost between $57,000–$70,000. A service cart that costs between $57,000 and $70,000 is among the exquisite pieces of crockery and food service equipment being considered for the dining lounge used by MPs in Parliament. The Sunday Guardian learned the Miscellaneous Service Cart, serial number 5590, offered by US manufactures of hospitality and beverage products Forbes Industries, is the preferred choice as plans are on-stream to upgrade some of the kitchen utensils and food service items used for Members of Parliament.
The proposed job is being handled by Taitt’s Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services of Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, and will cost close to $1 million. Three or four of the service carts are being considered to meet the demands of parliamentarians during sittings. The exorbitant price of the service cart has caused raised eyebrows among parliamentary staff, however, with some questioning the reason for even considering such a selection.
“A service cart is like a trolley,” a parliamentary source said. “We just do not know what on that service cart could cost that price. People must look and see for themselves if it is worth the price.” The Web site of Forbes Industries does not list a price for the service cart.
When the Sunday Guardian contacted Forbes Industries on Friday, sales representative Cynthia Ogaz said normally, orders from T&T were handled by Edward Don and Co, distributors of food service equipment and supplies. Ogaz said she was unable to give a price for the cart and instead provided a telephone number for sales representative Nestor Rodriguez. Rodriguez could not be reached for comment, as telephone calls went directly to his voice mail.
When the Sunday Guardian again contacted Ogaz she asked us to e-mail her requesting a quote for the service cart. However, up to press time there had been no reply. A quick overview of the service cart on the Web site says it is made of hardwood with cabinet and doors with raised bevelled panels. It has a Corian top surface with wood moulding, brass double gallery rails, handle, a drawer and adjustable shelf.
In addition, 150 pieces of Royal Rideau Syracuse Silk china from Libbey Food Service have been ordered. The Libbey food service Web site described this range as having a rock-hard glaze to reduce scratching, and comes with a no-chip lifetime warranty. Taitt’s Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services submitted a quotation of US$78,462.40 (TT$470,77.04) to fill the order from the Parliament. This price did not include shipping costs.
Checks on various restaurant-supply Web sites showed a dinner plate from this range costs approximately US$170 and a teacup, US$250. There will also be additional costs, as the Parliament department has asked for its logo to be engraved on all of the china. The total cost of filling the order is estimated at approximately $850,000. There are 74 MPs in all, including the presiding officers, although both Houses of Parliament rarely gather at the same time.
“The price submitted does not include the 35 per cent stamp duty taxes,” a parliament source disclosed. “To engrave the logo on all the china is also very costly. After the equipment is purchased it is sent to another country to engrave the logo, then shipped to T&T. We are looking at almost $1 million.”
Taitt’s taste
Contacted on Friday, the owner of Taitt’s Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services Ltd, Kenneth Taitt, confirmed his company had been in communication with officials at the Parliament over the selection of crockery and other food and beverage items. Not wanting to divulge too much information, Taitt only said, “I feel good, but I will have to put you on to the person who can answer your questions.”
Taitt then transferred the Sunday Guardian to head sales clerk Jason Lewis. Lewis said two months ago the company was approached to submit a quotation for the job. “We do not have a confirmed order as yet. They are looking at engraving the Parliament logo on the crockery,” he reported. “We are expected to supply the Parliament with crockery and meal-delivery service carts.”
Asked if there was a specific request for a particular model of service cart, Lewis replied, “No, just one that will be appropriate to use in the Parliament. We have a few in mind.” With regard to the crockery Lewis said, “We have a bid for Libbey Food Service.” However, Lewis said he was unable to disclose any specifics relating to the quotation submitted to Parliament.
Told that information obtained by the Sunday Guardian revealed that the preferred service cart to be selected for Parliament was the Miscellaneous Service Cart, Lewis said, “I am sure you will respect that I am not allowed to disclose that information,” before ending the conversation. Last year, the company also supplied the Parliament with other kitchen equipment.
The food and beverage manager at the Parliament, Shermaine Joseph, refused to comment when contacted on Friday, saying, “You will need to speak to the Parliament’s communications manager, Jason Elcock.” Elcock promised to respond but telephone calls and messages sent to him were not answered. House Speaker Wade Mark, when contacted, said he had no information on the issue and referred all questions to Clerk of the House Jacqui Sampson-Meiguel.
“I am dealing strictly with policy matters, nothing else,” Mark said. Speaking with the Sunday Guardian yesterday, Sampson-Meiguel said all ministries and departments were in the process of preparing the estimates for the next financial year. “One of the things the department and ministries will do is to look and see what they have in stock and what they likely may need,” she said.
“I will not know about this matter because a member of staff would have been calling around, because they would have been told by the food and beverage manager that they may need to stock up for the next year. “They call to get quotations from different companies and they will choose the most affordable quotation and they will include it in the estimates and submit to the Ministry of Finance.”
Sampson-Meiguel said a meeting would then be held with Ministry of Finance officials to discuss the quotation and to ascertain the need for the goods requested. “Not because we get the quotations means that we are going to purchase,” Sampson-Meiguel said. Contacted yesterday, PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds said matters of such a nature are not handled by the House Committee, of which he is a member in the Senate.
Hinds said, “We dine there, but it is unlikely that we would take a decision on what type of wares we will use. As far as I am aware, those are administrative matters that are outside of the purview of the House Committee. The House Committee only looks at the welfare and well-being of members.” Hinds, however, said he supported the plan to engrave the logo on the crockery. “That is practised in most parliaments around the world and it may act as a deterrent to misuse,” he said.
