A bill which allows for the publication of government procurement opportunities on a freely accessible website was unanimously passed by the National Assembly on Thursday.
While piloting the bill through the House, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said that the government has undertaken several measures to bolster the procurement process in the country. He stressed too that Guyana has modern procurement legislation which often leaves outsiders in awe.
The minister said the passage of the bill would be the first step towards achieving e-procurement. He said too the pursuit of this method would improve access to these notices, since if someone misses the publication of these notices in a particular day’s newspaper, they can go to the website and be informed.
Winston Murray, PNCR-IG shadow Finance Minister, supported the bill but sought clarification as to whether the bill intended to have publication on the website as an addition to publishing in the newspapers. Murray’s concern was that the wording of the amended bill did not line up with the bill’s explanatory memorandum. The explanatory memorandum said that “in addition to the present prescribed form of publication this Bill also seeks to provide for publications required by the Principal Act being placed on a website of free access where Government procurement opportunities are displayed.”
Murray suggested that it is important that procurement opportunities also be published in the newspapers since this was the preferred method for several of the country’s citizens. Murray proposed that slight amendments be made in the bill to make sure that it is clear that the publication on the website would be in addition to publication in the newspapers.
He also stressed that despite all the developments in advancing the procurement process, the absence of an established Procurement Commission left a huge gap in the procurement system.
During the debate, AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan suggested that the website could assist in offering greater transparency of the procurement system, if the role of the website was expanded. He said that when contracts are awarded the website should offer explanations which rationalize how contracts are given. Ramjattan said that this would include situations similar to that where Fip Motilall’s company Synergy Holdings Inc was able to win the contract for phase one of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. At this point, one PNCR-IG MP shouted: “he has no equipment… all he got is friends in the government.”
Ramjattan also echoed Murray’s concerns about whether publication on the website will be done in addition to publication in the newspaper and suggested that a section of the bill be amended to ensure this was achieved.
Singh, in wrapping up the bill, said that when determining the publication of the procurement opportunities, consideration will be given to what is the most relevant avenue. The bill was passed without any of the proposed amendments being adopted.
