A major hurdle in the approval of new procurement legislation was cleared yesterday as the Government moved to change the criteria for the composition of a quorum in the Joint Select Committee (JSC) set up to look at the issue. This is according to Planning and the Economy Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, after a meeting of the JSC yesterday. Opposition members also attended the meeting.
The Opposition had withdrawn its participation from the JSC a few months ago. Speaking with reporters in the Senate yesterday, Tewarie said the requirement for at least one member of the Opposition and one from the Independent benches to be part of the quorum was removed.
He said four members would continue to form a quorum but it did not have to include an Opposition and/or Independent senator. Tewarie said all four members of the quorum could be government members. Asked if he felt this latest move was a constructive one, Tewarie said: "It was necessary. I think that the Opposition polluted the system by their, in my view, very irresponsible action by acting in concert as Opposition to subvert the process."
He said the change was in the Government's and the country's best interest "to have a committee operate in a situation in which the work of the committee cannot be impeded." He said as a consequence, "the work of the committee will be able to proceed without any single entity being able to sabotage the process."
Officials from the World Bank made a presentation on the issue of procurement at yesterday's meeting of the JSC, he said. Tewarie said the JSC received additional submissions yesterday. He said, however, that he could not give any details on that matter and a meeting was set for early next month to try to resolve all outstanding matters as the Government was committed to bringing new procurement legislation.
Tewarie said in order to speed up the process, "we will bring a very clear policy of Government to the committee." Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had demanded that the Government present its policy in order for the work of the committee to proceed.
Tewarie said the Government always knew its policy but wanted a consensus position. He said that was not as yet achieved. He also commented on claims by the Opposition that it was proceeding with the Invader's Bay project without having a new procurement system in place. He said the work of Government cannot stop while the matter of procurement was being debated.
Dr Tewarie insisted: "You cannot bring Government to a halt because you have a preferred position on what kind of procurement regime you want to establish." Meanwhile, he said PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar would be officially opening the new $6 million boardwalk project at William's Bay, Chaguaramas, on May 3.