Rowley: Ball now in Govt court on procurement bill

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is calling on the People’s Partnership Government to table new procurement legislation in Parliament for debate. In a statement yesterday, three days after the Opposition withdrew from the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Procurement, Rowley said he and other Opposition members had participated fully in the JSC. He said “extensive contributions” were made by Opposition MP Colm Imbert, Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi and himself in the deliberations over the past several months. The JSC was chaired by Planning and the Economy Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie. He said under former JSC chairman, Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Tewarie “the Opposition beseeched the Government to present its policy position against which a bill can be formulated for Parliament’s consideration.”

 

He added: “The ball is now in the Government’s court. The Opposition has made its input and we await the Government’s policy position which, as of now, is still a matter held close to its chest. “The Opposition objects to the fact that while the committee’s work has reached the point of a draft bill, the Government still does not identify with a policy position. “The Government is moving with indecent haste to award a number of huge multi-million dollar contracts ahead of the enactment of new procurement legislation.” He said he was referring “specifically to the Invaders Bay Land Development Project and the more recently announced Rapid Rail Project.”

 

Rowley said the Opposition’s protest was “aimed at highlighting the deceit of the Government in this matter of procurement and calls on citizens to be vigilant and vocal with respect to these and similar developments. “We demand that the Government cease all activity with respect to initiating the award of any major contracts before the Parliament passes new procurement legislation,” he added. Rowley said the Opposition “stands ready to conclude this process in the Parliament at the earliest opportunity.” He said the Opposition withdrew from the JSC “and it is now for the Government to take a position at committee and bring a bill to the Parliament.” Rowley said the population must remember it was the Government’s responsibility to bring the required new procurement legislation to the Parliament.