By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Biofuels Association of Zambia (BAZ) has expressed worry at the manner in which the Government is handling the bio-fuel bidding process.
BAZ president Thomson Sinkala said interested local bidders were concerned because of the clause in the advertisement which stated that prospective bidders should provide brief description of the firm’s experience in the designing and construction in ethanol blending facilities among many others.
Professor Sinkala said that this requirement would exclude indigenous Zambians from taking part in the industry automatically because they did not have experience since it was a new industry.
“Our concern as an association is that indigenous Zambians would not be able to participate in this new industry because they have no experience. Unless they have to partner with foreign investors,” he said.
He appealed to Government to instead build capacity among the local firms, so that they could be allowed to participate in the tendering process.
“Much as we appreciate that development in this industry has started moving, we are concerned because most of the local firms lack experience which the Government is considering in the bidding process,” he said.
He appealed to the Government to relook the clause which automatically hindered local firms from participating in the tendering process.
