Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 29, 2016 News
By: Kiana Wilburg
In the wake of the Sussex Street bond scandal, Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan is “hoping and praying” for the speedy establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, so the Cabinet no longer makes decisions on contracts.
The Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) said that there is a need to tighten up on the weaknesses in the public procurement sector and he is positive that the Commission will be a significant check and balance in this area.
“Now that the National Assembly has paved the way and given its blessings for the Procurement Commission, we have to operationalize it and I am urging for this to be done as quickly as possible so that we don’t have any more of these bond issues.”
The Public Security Minister said that he is praying for the day when ministers in Cabinet do not have to decide on contracts anymore.
He said, “Under the Constitution, we fade away in the decision making process and the Commission will deal with all those procurement matters.”
The AFC Leader said that while he is happy that the Commission will be coming on board quite soon, he is a bit disappointed that “great people” like Chartered Accountants, Chris Ram and Anand Goolsarran did not make it to become Commissioners.
“We submitted their names but the Opposition does not want scrutiny. They didn’t want them. But we compromised because we wanted terribly for Cabinet’s role to fade away. We just don’t want any more bond issues.”
After months of deliberations, the names and appointments of the Commissioners for the Public Procurement Commission received nothing but unconditional support on August 9, last, from Members of Parliament.
Speaking on the widely debated matter was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Irfaan Ali. In this regard, he made reference to the PAC’s report on the appointment of the members to the Commission.
The report noted that the Committee at its third meeting held on November 23, 2015, agreed to continue the work of the previous Committee and to re-advertise for submissions of nominations for the Public Procurement Commission, since some of the names previously submitted were now Members of Cabinet or functioning in some other senior capacity.
In addition, Members were given an extract on the Public Procurement Commission from the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to enable them to examine and study. Ali said that thereafter a date was set for discussions on how the Committee would move forward on this matter.
At the sixth meeting held on January 18, last, the PAC Chairman advised the Committee that only six responses were received for the proposed nomination to the Public Procurement Commission. He subsequently suggested that the Committee re-advertise for another month since the last advertisement did not yield the results anticipated. Members agreed to this.
On April 8, last, Ali informed the Committee that a total of 29 submissions had been received for nomination to the Public Procurement Commission. He proposed that a Sub-committee comprising the Chairman and the Social Protection Minister, Volda Lawrence, be established in an effort to shortlist the nominees and present them to the Committee for consideration and subsequent approval.
The PAC Chairman said that on June 30, last, the Clerk of the Committee was instructed by the Sub-Committee to write the Commissioner of Police in relation to due diligence being conducted on the following persons: Emily Dodson, Balwant Persaud, Devan Khemraj, Brindley Horatio Robeson Benn, Cecil Jacques, Lance Carberry, Carol Corbin, Dr. Anand Goolsarran, Lallbachan Christopher Ram, Sukrishnalall Pasha, Dr. Nanda Gopaul and Ivor English.
The Committee was subsequently informed that the persons were not criminally known. After further deliberations and short listing, it was noted that Ram and Goolsarran were removed from the list as they provide auditing services to the Government.
In the end, the Committee unanimously decided that the nominees to be appointed to the commission will be Emily Dodson, Carl Corbin, Ivor English, Dr. Nanda Gopaul and Sukrishnalall Pasha.
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