By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – A total of twenty persons were nominated for the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), while the government is yet to submit its five nominees.
Among those nominated to be on the Commission are Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram and Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran.
This is according to Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, who during a press conference on Thursday (February 13) told reporters that the AFC submitted two nominees, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) submitted five, while the governing People’s Progressive Party is yet to submit the names of its nominees.
Upon completion of the nomination process, the administration will then have to choose the five best persons from the pool based on qualifications in accordance with the constitution.
The five selected will have to be experienced in Guyana’s laws and accounts among other areas. The National Assembly will then have to approve the five by a two thirds majority vote, after which they will be sworn in by the President.
In this regard, Ramjattan reiterated his Party’s position that the AFC will not support the Anti – Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill unless the PPC process is complete.
He said that the AFC needs to be assured that the office of the PPC will be funded so that it can execute its mandate.
According to Ramjattan, the AFC will continue to pressure the government to establish this Commission.
“We in the AFC will utilize the leverage we have now in the Anti – Money Laundering Bill to literally pressure the government into getting that Public Procurement Commission,” Ramjattan told reporters.
The AFC wants the cabinet to give up its ‘no objection’ role in the awarding of contracts, something which the government has refused to do.
