Over the past 48 months, Guyana’s national system for procuring goods and services to meet public demands and complete a slew of projects has been in a state of crisis, chaos, and confusion under the governance of the new A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change coalition Government.
The APNU/AFC Administration appears either incompetent or incapable of managing the system in a transparent manner. It does not seem to understand that there will be a black-lash whenever there is deliberate political interference in the process.
As a result of its direct actions since assuming Executive responsibility for several national agencies and companies, including the ministries of Public Health, Communities, Public Infrastructure and Education, there has been scandal after scandal.
These scandals have no doubt exposed the unprecedented levels of interference that is taking place in the procurement, tendering process, and award of contracts. This interference, according to sources close to the APNU/AFC political directorate, is being sanctioned by high ranking ministerial officials in President David Granger’s Government, and they are ensuring that those who played an integral role in financing the coalition’s 2011 and 2015 elections’ campaigns are rewarded with concessions from the public purse.
It is therefore not strange that the Government has avoided every opportunity to commission an independent commission of inquiry into any of these recent scandals involving the procurement, tendering and awarding of some of the most controversial contracts; especially those concerning the Ministry of Public Health.
If what sources say is accurate — and any decision made to have an independent CoI into the procurement of pharmaceuticals, drugs and medical supplies would reveal — there have been strange and sinister relations between officials at the Public Health Ministry, suppliers of services and goods, and personnel planted with the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. This would explain why companies that have absolutely no experience and business in the supply of these goods and services have managed to secure multi-million-dollar contracts after springing up overnight. They have also been given a clear advantage, even when the process is followed and another company is capable of providing the Government with the lowest and best rates, so that they can achieve value for company. The Sussex Street Bond fiasco is just one example, and the sole sourcing of emergency medical supplies from ANSA McAL is just another.
Changing the subject minister is just another attempt to quell public concern and create a diversion from the real issue at hand. The current minister is doing just as badly as her predecessor.
Both ministers are aware of the Government’s policy on who should get the largest pie of the contracts to supply pharmaceuticals in Guyana. And any high school student could tell you that the APNU/AFC made a campaign promise to ensure that the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation Inc remains under scrutiny because of its perceived and alleged link to a mainstream opposition politician.
Additionally, since assuming office, there has been a rush to rewrite the Government’s procurement policy, and ramrod legislative changes to effect system changes with the hope that the company is left isolated and incapable of competing. But this has been far from the case, because of the legitimacy of its operations and the professionalism as well as expertise of its staff.
There is no doubt that if there is a level playing field, internationally acclaimed local and regional companies could continue to supply services to the country’s health sector, which in turn would reduce shortages, the wastage of billions of taxpayers’ dollars, and ensure the delivery of better health care to the populace. This principle also applies to every other area in which the Government does business.
Local companies must not be afraid to challenge the public procurement system if there is any doubt about the outcome of various tendering processes, be it at a regional or national level. They do not need to pledge alliance to the Government or display indifference to avoid victimization. The checks and balances which are given life by the Constitution must work to protect the citizenry and local businesses from Government victimization.
The Public Procurement Commission must work and publish its investigative reports. Those reports which the Government received after internal probes into various complaints and scandals must also be released for scrutiny. The official Private Sector Commission and the so-called transparency agencies must speak out against the misuse and abuse of the public tendering system by the Government and its agents to reward its financiers and supporters.
The public must sound the alarm for an independent CoI to investigate these flagrant breaches and the award of politically inspired contracts under the new, bold, semi-autocratic regime of President David Granger. It must not be headed by a former GDF officer, but by a highly qualified civilian.
