Public procurement system: Robust enhancement ongoing as PPP/C intensifies fight against corruption, project delays – Jagdeo
The Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration will continue strengthening the public procurement system by further reducing corruption and addressing project delays.
Responding to questions during his press conference today, Vice President (VP) Jagdeo admitted that there are still flaws in the system but contended that in the last five years, efforts by the PPP/C Administration have resulted in significant improvements.
Ongoing works on the Aubrey Barker Road Widening Project, which was visited on Thursday by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill. He lauded the pace of the construction works being done from the “blacks” to Ogle by contractors Aranco and CRBC. However, for the contractors who are behind schedule for the lots from the “blacks” going forward, Minister Edghill called for accelerated work to be done on a 24-hour rotation
Jagdeo explained that with some 10,000 contracts being awarded per year, there will be some lapses in the system.
“Two years ago, we had to go out and threaten people; we’ve had cases where they would award a contract for a road [for] just rehabilitation, but on the bills of quantity it would look like a completely new road, and then we would award a contract for a new road, and then the engineer – we’ve had cases where [they] go to the contractor and say, ‘We will approve payment for the whole road if you share the money with us…’ We’ve found a few cases where the people doing the evaluation don’t actually do the evaluation… One person would do it, and he would send it to the others, and they would just sign the document; they wouldn’t even look at the document…,” the VP admitted.
However, he said, “But we nipped it because we went across the country… We warned the engineers, etc., and we saw a significant reduction and greater oversight, but whether it happens sometimes, yes, it does happen.”
Meanwhile, Jagdeo said the Government will also have to address the issue of project delays, including looking into the possibility of bringing in foreign contractors, particularly for housing projects.
The PPP General Secretary said in the next term, the Government anticipates it will construct another 45,000 houses.
With local contractors seemingly already at their maximum capacity, foreign assistance may be required.
“People are slow to complete a lot of the projects that they’re awarded… You know how many young professionals have come to me and said the contractors are delayed a year, they’re waiting and paying their mortgages, and the people are waiting. So we have a problem with many local contractors; some are doing an excellent job, and many are not fulfilling their promises or are doing substandard work. We have to fix that,” he said.
“But who do you go to? If people are at the limit, you’d have to engage foreign contractors so we can then get a company to come in and do 2000 houses of a particular standard…,” he further explained, noting that there has to be a balance between “giving our people the opportunities and getting the work done fast enough”.
Meanwhile, the VP emphasised that the PPP/C Administration has significantly improved transparency in the public procurement system over the years and will continue to do so.
“Given the scale of what we’re doing and the pace of transformation in this country…we have done 100 times more than APNU in terms of civil works, and we have been more transparent about it,” he posited.
For instance, Jagdeo explained that every contract awarded by NPTAB over a certain cost is published, along with the procurement method.
