Opportunities available for small contractors in all sectors – Minister Edghill

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill has reassured that numerous opportunities exist in all sectors for small contractors.
Speaking during a procurement training session for members of the Black Entrepreneurs Association on Saturday at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, Minister Edghill said, “Small contractors are not only weeding and cleaning; (undertaking) civil works: building of a fence, building of guard huts, building of sanitary blocks in our Ministry; building of roads, because there are some roads that fall under the $15 million margin that could be given to small contracts. On the maintenance side of the budget, you also have maintenance of buildings, plumbing, guttering, electrical, air conditioning – a whole host of other fields that could be involved: sea defence maintenance….”

He said the training is the fulfillment of a commitment made at a previous engagement with the association.
“At that meeting, I did make an offer that we will provide an opportunity where we will be able to bring our technical people who are involved in the procurement and management of contracts to interface with you, to be able to share with you all of the necessary knowhow, wherewithal, that you would be able to submit winning bids. And when you win a bid, ensuring that you fulfill your obligations in keeping with the terms and conditions of your contract,” he reminded.
The Minister highlighted the importance of meeting the criteria to secure contracts.
“It is still in some people’s heads that a Minister or some Government official could pick up the phone and call a friend and say, ‘I have a job for you to do…’. Maybe that happened a long time ago, (but) our country is governed by laws, The Procurement Act of 2003,” he declared.
He added that the Act requires that notice must be given before Government projects can be executed.
“It’s not who knows you and who you know; it’s following the system. Because when you throw that bid in the tender box and the evaluators are evaluating, your photograph is not on it. Nobody knows who you are, they are looking at the documentation that is presented, and getting your documentation right is what is important,” Minister Edghill emphasised.
Edghill said Government also changed certain criteria, like the requirement of three-to-five-years’ experience, to enable new contractors to benefit from these opportunities.
“And that was to facilitate and help people to enter into the market and be able to show forth their talent and their skill and get the necessary experience to climb the ladder,” he stated.