…calls public spending programme ‘an abysmal failure’
By Gary Eleazar
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has promised to write the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington DC over the alleged corrupt practices of the David Granger Administration — practices which he said have led to a stagnation of the Public Sector Investment Programme.
The former President was at the time addressing members of the media at his
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo
Church Street office, where he rejected claims that instructions were given to regional officers to not sign off on the award of contracts. Rubbishing this claim, Jagdeo noted that contracts are awarded by APNU+AFC appointed Regional Executive Officers (REO). He further pointed out that even in the APNU+AFC-controlled regions, the implementation is low. Further, at the national level, under ministerial control, he said, the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) is being under-implemented.
“If you look at the PSIP, it is an abysmal failure. Now we are seeing that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is working with the Government to improve the performance of the PSIP, and this could see the possible setting up of a ‘delivery unit’….the IDB needs to know that the lack of delivery under the PSIP is because of corruption. The IDB ought not to be entangled with this. And I will be writing Washington (the IDB head office) on this matter. We are currently compiling a file,” Jagdeo disclosed.
A statement from the IDB local office on Wednesday indicated that, in an effort to support Government’s endeavours to improve effectiveness and accountability in the delivery of public services to citizens through the implementation of the PSIP, the international financial institution has engaged the services of a top consulting firm specialised in this area to provide necessary support.
According to the IDB missive, most Governments placed too much emphasis on policy and less on the importance of effective project implementation. As such, it was noted, the delivery unit model was a simple but rigorous approach, in which there is a systematic process through which system leaders drive progress and achieve results – in this case specifically of capital projects carried out by the Government.
The IDB said this model was characterised by its emphasis on defining a set of limited clear priorities and goals focused on outcomes for citizens, and rigorous data-based monitoring of progress and coordination among involved parties. Through implementation of these principles, the model aims to clarify what success means for the Government, and thereby increase the speed of delivery of benefits to citizens.
The objective of this unit, according to the organisation, is to help Government agencies to deliver concrete results in priority goals through planning, performance insights, problem solving, capacity building and coordination. It is a lean structure meant to support ministries, and not to take over their roles or to add additional layers to the Government’s bureaucratic structure.
In the case of Guyana, delivery associates has completed a diagnostic analysis of how Guyana’s PSIP works, including an analysis of its delivery chain. This study has identified several opportunities for improvements, for which the delivery management model could be useful. The firm is currently coordinating with the IDB’s team to finalise the diagnosis report, so that it can be shared with Guyanese authorities.
In the interim, the IDB has been actively coordinating this initiative with senior Guyanese officials, including President David Granger; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan; and Minister of Public Affairs in the Ministry of the Presidency, Dawn Hastings-Williams.
