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KABUL (SW) – The private firm, which inked a lucrative $ 11 million deal with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, has no proven track-record sparking fears of ‘massive fraud’.
This firm, Bustos Group, won the contract of developing software for ‘Real Time Management’ of the telecommunication tax collected by the MoCIT. The main purpose of this contract was to ensure transparency in collection of the 10 per cent tax on the telecommunication.
The Facebook page of this firm was established in June 2016. But, after posting only four posts, it remains inactive since. The page has been removed for unknown reasons. The chairman of this firm, Joshwa Je Bustos, had previously served as chairman of the Safi Airline, and now emerged surprisingly with this ‘Real Time Management’ contract with the MoCIT.
The firm claims it is dedicated to supporting developing nations in their re-construction efforts. ‘We provide a broad range of services in every environment dedicated to mission success. We have experience in USA, Afghanistan, Africa, India & China. We deliver exceptional results wherever the mission is anywhere in the world’.
Its webpage is powered by Mr. Haqmal who can be seen in a social media post with the prayers’ leader of the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in a gathering organized for the conversion of Joshwa to Islam.
According to the Bus-file Group, the Bustos group has only three registered employees, and vows to have created 1300 jobs.
Former minister for MoCIT, Abdul Raziq Wahidi, has said in his reaction to this contract that evident corruption has taken place. “There is no need for classified documents (to expose corruption) a basic search on Google, Facebook, Linkedin and Wikipedia would prove it to you evidently”.
Sajjad Rejaey, an analyst on technology affairs, told Salam Watandar a visit to the Bustos website reveals their technological shortcomings. He said a firm earning such a major contract should be having a much better website. He went on to say there was no need to engage a foreign firm in the first place as a reputed local firm could have also done it.
According to a statement issued by Arg (Presidential palace), this contract is inked between the MoCIT and Bustos. However, Sayer Zaland, spokesman for the MoCIT, told Salam Watandar this Ministry is only executing the contract. We wished to have the views of the National Procurement Authority, but to no avail.
ENDS
