SINGAPORE: A Singapore company was ordered by the High Court to pay the government of the city of Buenos Aires close to US$238,000 for failing to deliver COVID-19 test kits ordered during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
In March 2020, a health emergency was declared in Argentina due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a nationwide lockdown. Buenos Aires has a population of about 15 million. An employee working for the Buenos Aires government sent a Whatsapp message to Mr Eng after being introduced, expressing his government's interest in buying 500,000 COVID-19 test kits manufactured by a Chinese company.
Despite the error, both sides agreed to go ahead. Mr Eng issued a pro forma invoice to the Buenos Aires government for 300,000 test kits for the price of US$1.77 million.However, HN Singapore sent a letter of proposal three days later to request a variation of the agreement. HN Singapore transferred a total sum of US$1,532,380.65 to the government, over three dates in June and July 2020.
HN Singapore and Mr Eng were represented by lawyers Loo Choon Chiaw, Goh Shu Quan Leon, Chia Foon Yeow and Lim Jun Wei from Loo & Partners.