The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the Davis administration has breached the reporting requirements of the Public Procurement Act.

The law, passed earlier this year, requires the government to publish details of approved contracts and procurement activities within 60 days of the award of the contract.

 Mr Pintard accused the government of refusing to publish the details.

 During a press conference yesterday, Mr Pintard said: “Section 61 of the Public Procurement Act (says) that all ministries and departments ‘shall publish within 60 days of the award of a procurement contract a notice of the award of the procurement contract.’ And that the details should include the title of the bid, the name of the procuring entity, the contract price, and the name of the person or company that was awarded the bid.

 “The law came into effect on September 1. The details of all contracts and material procurement of goods and services between September 1 and middle of October should have been published already. As required by Section 39 (1) of the Act, these details should be published in the Gazette or a national newspaper, and online. “What is the delay?

 “It is telling that the PLP which has promised greater accountability and transparency is already showing that that commitment was nothing more than idle rhetoric when they are (flouting) the law and its relatively straightforward requirement to publish information. We demand that they adhere to the law.”

 It is not clear why the government has yet to comply with the reporting requirements of the law. However, Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis has said the government will amend the Act to boost expenditure for small businesses.

 Mr Pintard said: “The public would like to know the contract details surrounding the outlays for the opening of Parliament and the swearing-in activities. How many hotels submitted bids? How much did these activities cost? The public would like to know the cost, the bidding method and the winning bidder for the new Ragged Island airport. The public would like to know the selection method for the decorations in downtown Nassau, and how many bids were received, who won the bid and what was the price.

 “This PLP government will not be allowed to (flout) the law. They have claimed that they want to amend the procurement law. That is their right to bring amendments to Parliament. But until then, the law stands as approved unanimously by Parliament. And they must follow it. We put them on notice, though, that the FNM will not support any amendment that seeks to dilute the requirement for the timely publication of procurement information.”