Calls for swift action on procurement legislation

The organisation said the PNM manifesto, which had been adopted as national Government policy, stated that “the PNM will waste no time addressing this very important issue. We will move swiftly to make the necessary improvements to the Public Procurement Act in order to remove loopholes, limitations and weakness that currently exist in the legislation, and, in consultation with all stakeholders, establish and implement a realistic timetable for the full implementation of the Act.” The organisation said that in the 2016-2017 budget, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said it was Government’s intention to operationalise the new public procurement system in 2017.

The minister had added that they expected that the procurement regulator and the Board of Procurement Regulation would be appointed and all required public procurement units would be established within six months. The group said as a major stakeholder, it has not been called to service, despite the minister’s assurance that they would be included in the process.

“Our collective goal is to reduce avenues for corruption and wastage of public funds. We would have preferred not to have to go public with our concerns.

To this end, the PSCSG wrote the Minister of Finance on two occasions - August 3, 2016, and February 3, 2017, outlining a way forward. To date, the PSCSG has not been afforded the courtesy of a response,” the group said.

The organisation said it wrote to the minister on April 3 drawing to his attention its concerns.

The group said it was crucial that a regulator and deputy regulator be appointed in a transparent manner.