KHOODEELAAR! evidential question to Boris Johnson: Is Boris merely, opportunistically faking a No to Bechtel? And has he already caved in to Bechtel?

KHOODEELAAR! evidential question to Boris Johnson: Is Boris merely, opportunistically faking a No to Bechtel? And has Boris already caved in to Bechtel on the alleged contract?

[To be continued]

The following piece is taken from EVENING STANDARD
Page 35 1st edition
London Friday 27 March 2009


At cross-purposes over choosing a Crossrail builder
Peter Bill
EVENING STANDARD
Page 35 1st edition
London Friday 27 March 2009



-A well-stifled row has broken out between the builders of Crossrail and Transport for London, over who is in overall charge. TfL, which is chaired by Mayor Boris Johnson, was asked earlier this month to approve two huge contracts.
The first was for the job of becoming Crossrail's Project Programme Partner. Crossrail bosses recommended that the £100 million job to supervise the builders be given to a US-dominated trio. TfL said fine, give the job to AECOM, CH2M Hill and Nichols Group.
But the recommendation by Crossrail bosses on who should get the job of actually building the central section of the 118-kilometre line was not accepted for "technical reasons", says TfL in full coy mode. There are four firms in the running - including giants Bechtel of the US and Laing O'Rourke of the UK.
It's not known who Crossrail recommended. But Boris apparently baulked at the idea of immediately giving the whole show over to the Yanks by appointing Bechtel.
Laing O'Rourke is lobbying for more weight to be given to the "Britishness" of the bids when they come up for reconsideration in a few weeks. This is all a bit tricky because, under European rules, you are not supposed to favour one bid over another on national grounds.
But both Crossrail and TfL have been spooked by the rows that have erupted across Britain over the employment of non-British subcontract labour. Crossrail can't obviously dictate the nationality of the workers who, they stress, will be "overwhelmingly" British.
However, just suppose Laing O'Rourke were to be appointed. It would obviously be in a better position to employ Brits drawn from its 31,000-strong workforce than those awful Americans ever could. This should at least be taken into account, should it not Boris? Laing O'Rourke yesterday proudly announced it was to hire 1000 new apprentices.

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