The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamian Contractors Association's (BCA) president yesterday said the Government does "not have to reinvent the wheel" on public procurement, but simply make the existing system work properly.

Leonard Sands told Tribune Business that while the reforms, unveiled as part of the 2017-2018 Budget, were laudable, the current Public Tenders Board process "can do the job" when it comes to accountability and transparency provided it is "adhered to".

He called on the Government to adopt "municipal-type" processes when it came to bidding and awarding public contracts, arguing that advertising all tenders worth more than $50,000 would both create open competition and prevent "back door deals".

K P Turnquest, in his 2017-2018 Budget presentation, pledged that the Government would create a Public Procurement Board to oversee the bidding and awarding of all government contracts.

Chaired by someone from outside the public service, but with the Financial Secretary and a permanent secretary among its members, Mr Turnquest said the Board would advise the Government on public procurement-related legislation and policy.

He added that a Procurement Review Tribunal would also be established to adjudicate on disputes and complaints relating to government contracts.

Mr Sands praised the Government for its intentions, and agreed that the reforms outlined would create a 'level playing field' for bidders "if it works the way the Government intends".

Yet the BCA chief added: "The only counter argument I would have is if the Public Tenders Board functions the way it's intended to function, it serves the exact same purpose.

"I don't know if if they need to have a new mechanism in place. They just have to hold fast, firm up existing policy and ensure they correct it.

"The low-hanging fruit the Government should take care of is that contractors and members of the public would like to know how contracts are awarded, involving hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars, without any discussion in Parliament."

Mr Sands said the rules surrounding the Public Tenders Board stipulated that any contract worth more than $50,000 has to go to public tender, yet there were numerous instances - such as the renovations to the former City Markets building on Blue Hill Road - where bids seemed to have been awarded without being publicly advertised.

"While I can applaud the new government for introducing this other mechanism," he added, "the existing mechanism can do the job if it's followed. There needs to be better accountability and adherence to existing policy.

"Every contract for every ministry should at least be publicly advertised so contractors and persons providing services know of things, and that there are no secret deals. That's the biggest challenge. Something's going on, contracts are issued and no one knows what's going on.

"Rather than reinvent the wheel, let's go to municipal, open bidding. Government has a fiduciary duty and responsibility to advertise to all parties all those works going on in this town," Mr Sands told Tribune Business.

"That's the first step in ensuring the industry has a chance to grow, encouraging individuals to participate and removing any possibility of back door dealings and special interests."

A fair, transparent public procurement process that allows Bahamian companies to compete on a 'level playing field' is vital to both their growth and that of the wider economy, given the significant multi-billion dollar chunk of GDP accounted for by government spending.

It is also critical to curbing government spending and ensuring Bahamian taxpayers get 'value for money'.