The Procurement Act of 2003 contains deficiencies and needs to be overhauled to tackle the issue of corruption while making the process more transparent and accountable.
This is the view of Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul, in a statement yesterday concerning the aforementioned Procurement Act which he stated was long overdue for critical amendments, as it is currently plagued with favouritism and corruption.
He noted that while there has been talk of overhauling the Act, nothing concrete has been done, and as such, “The time for promises is over.”
The statement described the Act as a system of hidden appointments which erodes trust and fosters corruption, with evaluators secretly selected, and often handpicked from political allies of the PPP/C, “disguised as public servants.” And even worse than this, it alleged, is the composition of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), which is entirely made up of individuals appointed by the PPP/C regime. Therefore, in view of this state of affairs, there is no representation from other political entities, creating a procurement process that is “inherently flawed and biased,” and perpetuating an “atmosphere of distrust and corruption.”
According to Mahipaul, the Procurement Act of 2003 must be amended to include representatives from the political opposition at both the Evaluation Committee, and Tender Board levels in order to restore faith in the system. In addition, broader representation is essential to ensuring decisions are based on merit rather than political connections. “Only by making these necessary changes can we build the transparency and accountability that the procurement process so desperately lacks.”
The MP said that within its first 100 days in office, an APNU+AFC government will move to amend the Procurement Act of 2003 to guarantee wider representation, including the opposition, at every level of the procurement process. He posited that this will not only curb the significant corruption currently present, but will also foster the trust, accountability, and transparency that the nation deserves.
“The time for reform is now. Without these amendments, the procurement process will remain compromised by favouritism, and the necessary trust between the government and the people will continue to erode. Action, not rhetoric, is the only solution”, he asserted.
