In a shocking turn of events, local caterers and chefs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have expressed their outrage over the awarding of a lucrative catering contract for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup games. The contract, which involves feeding 600 persons per day, has been awarded to a single caterer, leaving many skilled local professionals feeling betrayed and undervalued.
According to one disgruntled caterer who spoke to Asberth News Network, the decision to award the contract to a single entity is “so unfair” when there are numerous capable caterers and professional chefs in SVG. The caterer also revealed that the winning bidder has brought in foreign chefs, further exacerbating the sense of injustice felt by the local culinary community.
Another caterer, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared that interviews and sampling sessions were conducted with various caterers, and they were confident that their skills and offerings would secure them a portion of the coveted contract. “They were satisfied with our samples and were confident that jobs would be given to individual caterers,” the caterer lamented, expressing their disappointment at the unexpected outcome.
According to information obtained by this publication, the caterer who ultimately secured the contract was able to convince the ICC representative that they could single-handedly supply the food for the five-day event, catering to the needs of media personnel and other workers. This revelation has left many in the local culinary community questioning the fairness and transparency of the decision-making process.
A caterer who signed a contract with the ICC T20 World Cup organizers but cannot comment to the media due to an agreement not to speak to the media expressed the frustration, stating that since signing the contract, no one has gotten back to them regarding the details of the agreement.
This lack of communication has only added to the sense of uncertainty and mistrust among the local catering community.
A local chef who spoke to ANN revealed that the catering company has hired seven chefs, including those from the USA, Antigua, and other regional countries. One of these chefs will be paid over $50,000, which has sparked outrage among locals who feel that this money should be staying within the country. The chef expressed his frustration, stating, “All that money leaving the country. It’s so unfair. We locals are the ones who invested our tax money in the repair of the stadium to accommodate these games.”
As the ICC T20 World Cup approaches, the local caterers of SVG find themselves at a crossroads, facing the harsh reality of a missed opportunity and the lingering questions of whether the process was truly equitable.
“The catering contract, according to one caterer, is in the region of over 500,000 dollars.”