Gov’t raps with private sector on public procurement … says establishment of commission will require 2/3 majority vote in Parliament
Written by Gary Eleazar, Thursday, 30 May 2013 21:10, Source
GOVERNMENT has responded to calls by the Private Sector Commission and similar entities, such as the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce, over the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission, saying that their voices should instead be directed.
towards an appeal for political dialogue with a view to having consensus in the National Assembly.
Participants at yesterday’s Procurement Symposium
This was the position taken by Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill, as he addressed the opening of a symposium on government procurement that was attended by scores of contractors and suppliers of goods and services.
Bishop Edghill told those gathered that government is committed at the highest levels to having in place a procurement commission, but added that what seems to be conveniently left out of the calls for its establishment is that there requires a two-thirds majority agreement in the National Assembly on the names of the persons for such a body.
The Finance Ministry, through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board yesterday facilitated the procurement confab with the objective of providing a forum for comprehensive information sharing in relation to procurement laws, regulations and procedures allowing for greater levels of fairness, transparency and accountability.
Bishop Edghill, who provided the keynote address to the scores of private sector representatives, reminded that it was the current administration, while in office with a majority, that had enacted the legislation paving the way for the body.
Edghill told the participants of the symposium at the International Conference Centre that “nobody should leave this room thinking that a public procurement commission is a call coming from opposition, because they demand accountability and transparency …it was People’s Progressive Party (PPP) while in majority in parliament that enacted the Procurement Act.
He said that what is now required is a two-thirds agreement among the 65 members of the National Assembly on the names of the persons for the commission.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill addressing the participants of the Procurement Symposium
The minister said too that despite the fact that there isn’t currently a procurement commission in place “the country is not seriously at any disadvantage.”
He qualified his statement by pointing to the fact that all procurement by Government in Guyana is undertaken under the guidelines of the Procurement Act.
This act, he says also caters for options such as the establishment of a bid protest committee that would investigate complaints by disgruntled contractors should they feel cheated.
“People must be aware that there is a review mechanism.”
He said it was mischievous for persons that are unhappy with a particular procurement outcome and complain to the press when they did not even attempt utilise the various review mechanisms.
“If you believe in the veracity of your case, pursue the review mechanisms,” said Edghill.
Representing the Private Sector Commission, its past chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo, acknowledged that the Procurement Act in place is one of the more modern in the region.
This, he said, is critical in the prevention of fraud and corruption in the procurement process.
He also called on the participants to address what he called bid-rigging and collusion, adding that when the procurement system fails, it is ultimately the taxpayers of the country who suffer.
President of the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce, Clinton Urling, who also addressed participants, called for the establishment of the procurement commission.
The stakeholders in the procurement process, he said, play an extremely critical role; given that they seek to ensure that taxpayer’s get the best value for their money.