Jagdeo hints at countrywide prequalification system for procurement

-defends award of GDF contract to Kares

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday stated that the strengthening of the procurement system will be continuing in the form of a countrywide prequalifying system allowing the Cabinet to have a full picture about companies bidding for projects.

Homing in on the procurement process at his weekly press conference yesterday following an editorial in Monday’s Stabroek News which said in part that “Yet again, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) has been found flagrantly violating guidelines for the award of contracts”, Jagdeo said, thousands of contracts are being carried out around the country in the various sectors due to the transformation that is currently ongoing countrywide.

However, he said, that these contracts when completed on time to the benefit of citizens are never focused on instead there seems to be a bias now to focus on a few contracts “the few that may have some issue and make that seem as the prevailing condition.”