The World Bank Group has announced the debarment of two companies from St. Lucia, Computer and Electrical Services Ltd. and Darcheville Construction Equipment Sales Ltd., for 18 months due to fraudulent practices. These actions are linked to their involvement in the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean Project in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
This project is designed to enhance the blue economy, support economic recovery, and improve resilience of coastal assets in participating countries while providing a rapid response to emergencies. The two companies, which share a common beneficial owner and belong to the same corporate group, failed to disclose their conflict of interest when bidding for a contract financed by the World Bank for supplying refrigerated trucks. This non-disclosure was deemed fraudulent under the World Bank’s Anti-Corruption Framework.
As a result of these debarments, both companies are barred from participating in projects funded by any institution within the World Bank Group. They have accepted responsibility for their actions through settlements that require them to fulfill certain corporate compliance conditions before being released from debarment.
These conditions include commitments to develop and implement ethics training programs based on principles outlined in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines. The settlement agreements also offer reduced debarment periods considering the companies' cooperation, voluntary remedial measures, and ongoing commitment to collaborate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency.
Additionally, these debarments qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under an agreement signed on April 9, 2010.