Gov’t to roll out public procurement training countrywide to guard against deception, fraud

In a decisive move to enhance compliance with the Procurement Act, the government has announced a comprehensive public procurement training program. This initiative aims to equip individuals involved in the procurement process with essential knowledge to ensure adherence to regulations across various regions.

The government has consistently emphasized its dedication to fortifying the procurement framework to foster transparency. This commitment was reiterated by Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), during a recent meeting with contractors in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Dr Jagdeo expressed concern over frequent deviations from the standard bidding process by procurement officers in different entities, emphasizing that such practices are unacceptable. He warned Region Two authorities to cease these actions unless they receive explicit approval from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and the Ministry of Finance.

“We’re committing to better training of the staff who are doing procurement, and to make sure that they have [a] clear understanding of what our expectations are and how the system should operate. It should be fair,” Dr Jagdeo relayed at a press conference.

The government has also urged a rigorous review of bidding documents to detect instances of companies attempting to deceive the government by submitting bids through multiple companies owned by a single family.

Dr Jagdeo pointed out that such practices are often overlooked by tendering authorities and stressed the importance of thoroughly examining and cleansing the list of bidders.

He further highlighted that contractors who consistently deliver substandard work should not be awarded new contracts. Authorities are reminded to evaluate these criteria diligently before awarding any contracts.

The general secretary reinforced that any contractor or officer found deviating from established procedures will face the full consequences as outlined in the Procurement Act.

“We expect good quality work and we intend to blacklist people who do shoddy work. What we did there in Region Two, we’re going to replicate across the country. The Ministry of Finance will go across the country to ensure all the procuring authorities are aware,” he emphasized.

At a previous conference, the government announced its intention to crack down on corrupt officers and personnel involved in procurement malpractice. The administration is conducting a thorough review of the procurement system at local, regional, and national levels.

Since 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration has acted transparently and in accordance with the Procurement Act of 2003 when awarding multi-million-dollar contracts for major government projects.