All set to implement Procurement Act

Responding to questions yesterday from members of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee at the Office of the Parliament, Dhanpaul said, “With the proclamation of the Act, the existing Central Tenders Board (CTB) will cease to exist.” The 52 CTB employees, he said, are being offered three options - a voluntary separation of employment package, the opportunity to join another ministry within the public service, and to seek employment in the Office of the Procurement Regulation.

Gaining employment in the Office of the Procurement Regulation, he said, will depend on the procurement regulator.

Dhanpaul said, it was the Finance Ministry’s view that the Procurement Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation to be implemented in the nation since Independence.

“It is going to change the landscape in which we conduct business in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said adding that it will change the way in which government entities relate to suppliers, and suppliers to government entities. In terms of the proposed structure of procurement units to be established in the ministries, government agencies and departments, Dhanpaul said, job descriptions for the procurement units, are based on the size of the ministry as some ministries are large purchasers than others.

PAAC Chairman Brigid Annisette- George noted that when the committee interviewed six ministries two weeks ago the committee noted that only two knew there was Cabinet approval for the implementation of the legislation.

In response to who has oversight for the level of preparedness for whatever is required by March 31, Dhanpaul said that it was only two weeks ago that Cabinet approved the communication strategy for the rollout of the legislation.

“We will be outlining the strategy for implementation of the procurement units to the permanent secretaries on February 16,” he said.

Deputy Auditor General in the Office of the Auditor General, Lorelly Pujadas, also advised that Finance Ministry include in the rollout directors and all accounting officers of the various government entities as the board of permanent secretaries were not the only accounting officers.