PPP disappointed over stagnant Procurement Commission

…calls for immediate assumption of role, functions

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it is deeply disappointed over the comission of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to assume its constitutional mandate and discharge its statutory functions.

It said this has been happened although its members have been appointed several months now.
The Party said the Procurement Act provides that once the Commission is established, Cabinet’s no-objection role in the awarding of contracts ceases. The Party is also aware that the very Act allows Cabinet to conclude the consideration of contracts that were pending before the PPC was appointed. It said that period has long expired.
“The Party is aware that Cabinet continues to preside over and unlawfully interfere with the award of contracts. The PPC is therefore obliged to assert itself and assume its role and functions. The PPP calls upon the Commission to do so immediately.”
In early January, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that the recently-established PPC was not yet ready to carry out its mandate.
He said the Commission had indicated that it would be ready sometime in January to execute its mandate, as there were still some critical appointments to be made.
However, the already appointed Commissioners are being paid, despite the inactive Commission.
In October 2016, after months of promises, Government installed the five-member Commission.
Following the swearing-in ceremony, President David Granger said the PPC was an institution mandated by Guyana’s Constitution, which seeks to ensure the fair, equitable and transparent execution of works and procurement of goods and services, according to law.
He said the members were now charged with the constitutional duty of the Commission.
The Guyana Constitution stipulates that the Commission shall consist of five members who shall have expertise and experience in procurement, legal, finance and administrative matters, and that the President shall appoint the members of the Commission after such members have been nominated by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and approved by not less than two-thirds of the elected members of the National Assembly.
The President said that the PAC of the National Assembly was responsible for the selection of the members of this Commission and this bipartisan process of selection was a demonstration that – however intractable political differences might seem – the bases for political agreement and consensus on matters of national interest should always be sought.
Among the PPC’s key functions are, according to the Procurement Act, to: “monitor and review the functioning of all procurement systems to ensure that they are in accordance with law and such policy guidelines as may be determined by the National Assembly; promote awareness of the rules, procedures and special requirements of the procurement process among suppliers, constructors and public bodies; safeguard the national interest in Public Procurement matters, having due regard to any international obligations; monitor the performance of procurement bodes with respect to adherence to regulations and efficiency in procuring goods and services and execution of works; approve of procedures for Public Procurement, disseminate rules and procedures for public procurement; and recommend modifications thereto to the Public Procurement entities.”