PAC puts Tender Boards on notice to improve record-keeping

– recommends use of cloud storage for minutes; circular to be issued

With missing records, particularly minutes, being a recurring problem at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), regional Tender Boards have been put on notice about the need to improve their record-keeping and even explore technological options.
During Monday’s sitting of the PAC, the Committee was reminded of the need for regional Tender Boards to submit minutes upon request from auditors of the Audit Office of Guyana. According to PAC member and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, this is a part of the Procurement Act.

“When we look at preparing a report for 2016, one of the things I think we have to flag, is the unavailability in many cases where regional Tender Board minutes were not available. And that this is a critical requirement under the Procurement Act.”
“So, in other words, vindicating what the Auditor General has found but also continuing to have a situation where minutes are not available at the Tender Board at the regional level. So, we should flag this in our 2016 report,” Teixeira said.
Emphasising the importance of Tender Boards maintaining their records, PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira made the suggestion that cloud storage be used by these Tender Boards to back up the minutes of meetings throughout the year.
“At the time of the request for the records by the audit office, if they’re not available, they’re not available. The argument if it exists or doesn’t exist is left for another day. But with regards to the present time when the request was made by the audit office to conduct its affairs, the documents weren’t made available. So, the audit office worked on the presumption that it wasn’t available.”
“More strenuous efforts must be put to ensure that records are properly kept. And I recommend that consideration be given by the Administration if those records could also be stored in the clouds. So, you have physical and electronic copies and whenever requests are made, if the physical cannot be found the source is in the clouds,” Figueira said.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Sukrishnalall Pasha committed to examining the issue and if necessary, issuing a circular to remind Tender Boards of the need to maintain their records. Additionally, Pasha noted the role that must be played by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
“I have to study the issue. So that if I do issue a circular, which is something I’m also empowered to do, that the circular provides a solution to the problem that we’re discussing. I know that the Tender Board is responsible for ensuring that the Ministerial Tender Board complies with the Procurement Act. So, this matter is a procurement issue as well as a financial issue.”
“I need to engage NPTAB to ensure that the circular that we issue correct the problem without me overstepping as well, or assuming responsibilities another body is also responsible for,” Pasha informed the Committee.
In the 2016 Audit Report, paragraph 906 dealt with a contract for the repairs to the Quarrie Bridge in Region Eight (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). The contract was awarded for the sum of $8.530 million, but no details on the tendering and award of the contract could be seen. Additionally, there was an overpayment of $2.4 million on the contract.