(CMR) The Cayman Islands government had taken steps to avoid a multi-million dollar lawsuit over the cancellation of a lateral flow test order with Bluewater Medical Supplies Ltd less than two weeks after the company filed a writ in Grand Court. The lawsuit claimed specific performance or payment of the purchase order.
Sources have confirmed that the order has been reconfirmed with the Caymanian own medical supplies company avoiding what would have been a costly lawsuit. However, with the rising costs of shipping heading into the world's busiest time of the year and COVID-related chain supply issues, the cost of shipping the tests kits has likely increased significantly.
CMR spoke to a local shipping company who indicated that last week they observed a steep increase in shipping cost amounting to a 3 fold increase in 40-foot containers from China. In real terms, this could place pricing in excess of $100,000 onto an order of that magnitude.
The delay in placing the order could also now mean the lateral flow test could arrive early in 2022 instead of next month. The order from Crown Agents appears to still be ongoing but there is no word of when that will arrive either. Obtaining supplies from the United Kingdom appeared to be especially difficult.
CMR understands that the Attorney General, legal adviser to the government, had advised them ahead of the lawsuit that the matter needed to be settled out of court.
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