The main Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has urged the Guyanese public, especially the local media corps, to pay closer attention to the APNU/AFC Government’s policy on the procurement and tender of goods and services, amid concerns raised over a series of recent disturbing developments.
Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has also accused the David Granger administration of engaging in “illegal and vindictive actions” against Guyanese contractors and businessmen whom it allegedly perceives are anti-Government or do not like for some reason or the other.
He referenced the recent scandal involving the single sourcing of a sub-standard ‘drug bond’ from a close associate of the Government and the subsequent move by the Public Health Minister Dr George Norton to mislead the National Assembly’s Committee of Supply on the particulars of the contract and the circumstances surrounding its controversial award.
Jagdeo said Government appears to be interfering in the process even though the PPPC, while in office, had taken away the right of the cabinet to award contracts.
He questioned whether the central tender board gave a no-objection for the single sourcing (of the bond contract) since “that is a requirement before cabinet can gave its no objection”. Jagdeo said “if that was not done and the cabinet went ahead and gave its no objection without the permission from the central tender board then the cabinet is complicit”
The Opposition Leader also maintained that “this scandal goes deep into the Government because they had a cover up of this matter”.
The former President also disclosed to the media that the APNU/AFC Government is unable to get some projects off the ground because it is allegedly annulling the awards.
“…the cabinet is vindictive…you know what they have done several times…many projects cannot go forward…huge projects because if a person wins the bid that they do not like…this is after 3 months of tender, evaluation and recommendation, they annul the bid”, he charged.
Jagdeo called on President Granger to “look at the vindictiveness and interference” by his government.
He made reference to statements made by Energy Minister Raphael Trotman that Government was “not in a mood to give NEW GPC anything” while explaining that those statements clearly expose Government’s approach to the entire procurement system.
“Well they are not in the mood to do many things and that is why you have slow implementation”, the Opposition Leader told reporters in reference to many breaches of procedures involving the disbursement of funds to Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and municipalities and the non-implementation of budgetary measures and projects among other things.
The Opposition Leader also accused the APNU/AFC Administration of having a “a useless bunch of ministers” doing “nonsense” in government, saying their “incompetence is phenomenal and unbelievable”.
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