Cid Gomes buys a fleet of helicopters without bidding.

Using a program from the Secretariat of Science and Technology that eliminates the need for bidding processes, the government of Ceará has already acquired four aircraft; the first arrived in 2010 and serves exclusively the governor; R$ 78 million has already been paid for the state-of-the-art twin-engine models; the press office states that the aircraft is used “occasionally” for the transportation of authorities.

August 25, 2013, 14:32 PMUpdated July 09, 2018, 18:32 pm

Using a program from the Secretariat of Science and Technology that eliminates the need for bidding, the government of Ceará has already acquired four aircraft; the first arrived in 2010 and serves exclusively the governor; R$ 78 million has already been paid for the state-of-the-art twin-engine models; the press office states that the aircraft is used “occasionally” for the transportation of authorities (Photo: Realle Palazzo-Martini)

247- The governor of Ceará, Cid Gomes (PSB), is equipping the state with a fleet of four ultramodern helicopters without a bidding process, at a cost of R$ 78 million so far. To bypass the bidding, the government is using a legal loophole in the Technological Modernization Program of the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Higher Education. However, none of the aircraft will serve the department. Three aircraft will go to the area of public security. The fourth, the first to arrive and the most luxurious, is for the governor's own transportation. The report comes from the newspaper O Globo.

The purchase of the helicopters was financed by the German bank MLW and approved by the Brazil-Germany Chamber of Commerce, the Legislative Assembly, and the Federal Senate, following all legal procedures — the governor explained through his press office. He added: “Through a transfer agreement, they will be used by the Integrated Air Operations Coordination, an agency linked to the Secretariat of Public Security and Social Defense. In other words, these aircraft will reinforce police actions and transport victims of violence safely and quickly.”

To remain true to the objective of the technological program, the purchase contract for the last three aircraft does not mention helicopters, but rather the supply of "technical-scientific and educational equipment and instruments." And that is how it was approved by the bodies cited by the governor.

Through his press office, Cid denied using public funds to build a helipad at his country home in Serra da Meruoca, near Sobral, as his opponents had alleged. "There is no helipad paid for with public funds on the property in question," the governor denied.

Regarding the first aircraft, purchased in 2010, the press office informed that it is owned by the State and used for monitoring and inspecting construction projects by the various departments. It is “occasionally” used to transport officials.