No reason why Hyundai shouldn't be handed ID card contract

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic news Posted: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

El Universal has published several reports about Venezuela's chaotic Passport & ID Office (Oni-Dex) and renewed the debate on modernization of the thoroughly corrupt system. In February, 2001 then Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Luis Miquilena suspended the signing of a modernization contract with South Korean  Hyundai Information Technology Company. 

In the meantime, a report from the Oni-Dex Legal Consultation Department issued on March 13 2003 was allegedly silenced. 

Other columnists claim that rival Spanish Indra Company has been trying to muster support for its tender and entered into contact with opposition deputies. 

Returning to August 2001, the National Assembly (AN) came out against Hyundai for 10 technical reasons, despite freebies for deputies to visit Korea to investigate Hyundai's ability to get the job done.

In 2001 it was Indra Systems subsidiary, IMA-2001 that set the cat among the pigeons providing Miquilena with technical arguments against Hyundai. At the time, columnists alleged that slush funds had been set up as part of the bidding process ... after all, the project itself was worth $227 million for the winner.

In March, 2003 then Oni-Dex president, Alfredo Gil Romero, computer chief, Ademir Carpio and fingerprint department director, Manuel Julian Hernandez traveled to Korea to check out the original 10 AN objections to Hyundai getting the contract and returned with the conclusion that there are no reasons why Hyundai shouldn't get the contract.