All Government Ministries will soon have their own unit tasked with assessing the performance of contractors across the various sectors. These units will be supported by a Contract Compliance Unit within the Ministry of Legal Affairs to provide guidance and file legal proceedings where necessary.
This is according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC who disclosed that a memo was issued to the Government Ministers on April 6, 2024, advising them to immediately establish the dedicated units.
“That unit is to dedicatedly monitor and evaluate the performance of contractors who are executing contracts in those ministries. Once that unit observes unjustifiable delays and breaches of contracts, [it will] activate the clauses of the contract to notify the contractors of the delay, clauses dealing with performance bonds and termination, etc.,” he explained.
Further, the units will look at the quality of works being completed by the respective contractors.
This move follows strict orders by President Dr. Irfaan Ali that penalties outlined in a number of government contracts be enforced for companies that continue to default on their contractual obligations. The President’s comment was made at a recent meeting with engineers and project managers from the Ministries of Public Works and Housing to discuss the status of major infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General has since cautioned contractors to ensure that they execute their contracts diligently and deliver projects that cannot be deemed substandard.
He noted that this move by the Government is a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to move condignly against contractors who are negligent in the discharge of their duties.
