By Arret Jatta
Jim Gaye, the sales and marketing manager of Quantum Net trading as EspaceMotors, on Monday, 23 September 2024 testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry where he stated that Quantum is the company name, while Espace Motors is a trading name.
He was called to provide documents and explanations on the agreement they had with KMC regarding trucks, otherwise known as ‘Mbalit’ Trucks.
The witness said he was employed by Quantum Net in 2007 and is the manager responsible for the sales of vehicles.
He said they applied for a tender costing D10,000 at the KMC for the supply of 19 ward trucks and 4 council trucks separately in December 2018 which they won and were awarded the contract.
He stated that on the 9th of January 2019, KMC wrote to them requesting clarification on the price, and on the following day, they responded to the request.
He added that on 6th March 2019, the contract was signed between KMC and Espace Motors. On 13th March 2019, KMC wrote two separate letters authorisingAGIB to monitor and electronically deduct from the compactor truck operations account as necessary. He added that the trucks were delivered on 22nd June 2019, and on 11th October 2019, the 4 council trucks were delivered.
“In the beginning, we supplied them 19 trucks, which was a tender of its own and then we supplied them 4 trucks again, which was a tender of its own, and finally another one which was also a tender of its own,” Jim explained.
He said the 19 trucks for the wards were 10-wheel while the trucks for the council were smaller except one, which was a compactor truck.
Mr. Gaye said the trucks were purchased from China from Photon adding that Quantum Net/Espace Motors had an agreement with the Chinese company to be their distributor in the Gambia.
The witness was asked to provide the agreement they had with Photon and the communications (correspondence) about the purchased trucks.
He was later asked about the unit price for each truck, but he said he did not know that.