“It was a well known fact that passage of the Bill was not only a commitment in the Jagdeo/Corbin Communiqué of May 2003, but also a commitment of the Government of Guyana/World Bank on the funding of the Poverty Reduction Strategy,” Dr. Luncheon declared.

He added that the Opposition’s request for the Bill to be referred to a Select Committee was a delaying tactic, as the Government’s commitment and intention were explicitly made known to the PNC/R at the Parliamentary Management Committee.

The administration, Dr. Luncheon said, in submitting the amended Bill dealt in detail with the transition from the pre-1992 decades to the current time, pointing out that a comprehensive legislative framework now governed all aspects of public procurement.

Responding to the criticism from the opposition that too much power is vested in the hands of the Minister of Finance, and it can lead to discrimination and other regularities, the HPS said such a contention is premature and the records would show that the Minister has always upheld the finest traditions in relation to the integrity of the statutes.

He contended that the Bill represents an improvement on what currently exists in the procurement process, as such it must be viewed in this context.

“The proof of the pudding lies in its eating,” Dr. Luncheon offered.

He noted too that with the imminent appointment of the Public Procurement Commission and operationalizing of the Act, Public Procurement would be governed by the most comprehensive of legislative regimes in the Caribbean.

The Procurement Bill 2002 was approved last Thursday in the National Assembly with the main opposition party the PNC/R walking out when the vote was about to be taken.

The Bill sought to institute legislation to provide the regulation of the procurement of goods, services and the execution of works, promote competition among suppliers and contractors and to promote fairness and transparency in the procurement process.

Introducing the Bill for the Government was Minister of Finance Saisnarine Kowlessar who emphasized the relevance and importance of the legislation in ensuring transparency and accountability.

The Minister said the Bill is in accordance with modern trends and international standards, which emphasize openness and fairness in the procurement process.