Guyana risks losing out on global funding – Dr Luncheon

…over abuse of public procurement

Guyana could eventually lose out on the funding it receives from regional and international donor agencies, because of its blatant disregard of the public procurement system, former Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon has warned.

Dr Luncheon sounded the warning on Monday, as he criticised the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration over the state of affairs of public procurement in Guyana.

He said the situation was taking a toll on the country’s image and could eventually lead to a total withdrawal of funding for programmes in the country.

“We still depend on considerable inputs by donors. And you see this crap, you see this nonsense? There are few donors who could go back to their donors and Governments and say that the funds that we provide to the Government of Guyana are used in like fashion,” Dr Luncheon stated. He said many agencies have already “pulled the plug” and many more would.

According to him, this “vile” abuse of the procurement system is “untenable” and is forcing donors to pull their funding in the public health system and other programmes that are funded through loans.

Dr Luncheon said the public procurement system matured under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) between 2001 and 2011, where statutes and constitutional provisions were put in place and adhered to make the system the “envy of the Caribbean and acceptable to all, including the donors”.

“Since the change in Government and particularly with the public pronouncement of spokespersons of the APNU/AFC, and no less President David Granger himself, that financiers for the 2015 elections campaign would in essence be given political patronage at the expense of the public purse, the door was opened for the subversion of the public procurement laws and the constitutional provisions.”

He said the basis of the public procurement laws in Guyana was competitive bidding, public tendering, and the lowest response bidder. However, it is obvious that none of these were being explored. Dr Luncheon said he would challenge for the return of awards (of contracts) where public tendering has not been a feature, competitive bidding has been grossly ignored and the lowest response bidder concept has been abused. According to him, the Guyanese people have not been attaining the best use of public funds.

He cited the most recent issue with the Public Health Ministry, noting that he could not tell if that course of abuse of the tendering system was fully exposed and brought to the public’s attention. “We have strong suspicions that it is not so,” he said.

Dr Luncheon said there was much hullaballoo at the swearing-in of the Commissioners of the Public Procurement Commission and the establishment of the body; however, the Commission has not been allowed to discharge its constitutional responsibilities. “We are told we have a Procurement Commission, but it is not functioning.”

He said what has been disclosed by the ANSA McAL and other episodes showed the intent of the drafters of the Constitution do not occur.