President Donald Ramotar has multiple concerns about the establishment of the long-delayed Public Procurement Commission (PPC), according to PPP Executive Member Irfaan Ali, who says these issues have been raised during recent bilateral talks with Opposition Leader David Granger.
“We are committed to all of this but the president has some concerns and they must be addressed,” Ali said on Monday, while adding that the “ball is in the Office of the President court.”
Ali noted that during the bilateral discussions, offers were introduced on both sides. He noted that some of the most recent contentions were with prospective candidates being discussed for the commission. He recalled that when he and Ramotar were members of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is responsible for selection of nominees to the PPC, the names of certain persons were withdrawn due to conflict of interest. However, he said the opposition has reintroduced some of these names once again.
Since 2003, the PAC has been attempting to get the selection process off the ground without success.
Granger, while remaining optimistic about the formation of the PPC, told Stabroek News that the length of time things were taking did not bode well for transparency and accountability. And he said that he was “concerned” with the way in which current talks with the president were going.
The opposition party AFC has ramped up efforts for the establishment of the PPC by indicating that it will withhold support for the amendment bill to the Anti-Money Laundering Act unless the government sets up the Commission and the president assents to two opposition-piloted bills passed earlier this year
But Ali said that the AFC demands that a deadline be set for the creation of a PPC is politically irresponsible because it is making these demands while detaining the passage of the amendment bill.
“The AFC is just irrationally saying that we aren’t going to support this because we want this and we want that. [That] is not a responsible position. Some might consider it political hard line but it is irresponsible,” he argued.
AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan recently stated that by calling for a deadline for the establishment of the PPC was completely in line, since the government has continuously stated that it is in support of the commission’s creation. Ramjattan has stated that the AFC is not making unrealistic demands and if this was considered “hard dealings” then so be it.
The creation of a PPC is expected to place significant checks and balances aimed at reducing corruption when public contracts are awarded. Nevertheless, Ali maintained that “we have the most rigid procurement process in the region and you can check that,” while adding that the government has always been ready and willing for the formation of a PPC and that was showcased in the dialogue that is now ongoing between the president and the opposition leader.
