By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE amendments to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act were passed in the Lower House on Wednesday night.
All 22 government MPs voted for while 16 opposition MPs said nay after a ten-hour sitting. Not in the House during the vote were Opposition Leader and Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal and Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir.
Additionally, there was also the approval of the validation of the two orders that allow for the exemption of the procurement process for goods and services relating to the Judiciary and foreign diplomats for a period of three months.
The “ayes” had it when called upon to vote by House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George.
The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (amendment and validation) Bill was tabled by Finance Minister Colm Imbert after the special sitting was requested by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley last week.
Dr Rowley joined the debate later in the session.
He said if he did not speak during the debate, he would have been accused by the Opposition for “shying away” from critical issues.
“That is why I stand here today and say, I want to identify with the positions,” Dr Rowley said.
He said even before the law was passed “it has always been a complicated matter.”
By way of Legal Notice No.106, the Act was fully proclaimed by President Christine Kangaloo on April 26, 2023, an Act that was clamoured for by the Opposition and several key business organisations.
Dr Rowley said he said then that the law would have needed to be adjusted as one key main factor was the time it took to get certain goods and services.
He said the law as it stands does not differentiate between the building of a bridge and the purchase of a box of doughnuts.
Dr Rowley said, “What we are seeking to do, is to treat with those situations where in an unforeseen circumstance, you are required to not let the want of a nail, cause a shoe to be lost, and the loss of a shoe cause a horse to be lost and loss of a horse cause a war to be lost.”
Dealing with the introduction of a procurement threshold of $1 million for goods and services which would be exempted from the procurement requirements under the Act subject to regulation, Dr Rowley said, “If you don’t have the ability to be nimble in procuring at that level, you could end up with serious costly inconveniences.”
The purpose of the debate according to Imbert was to address a drafting error, validate the two exemption orders already signed under his name, modify the method by which certain orders and Regulations and to introduce the procurement threshold of $1 million for goods and services which would be exempted from the procurement requirements under the Act.
The bill is being debated in the Senate on Thursday.
