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MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said the Opposition UNC is misleading the population with their claim that contracts under $1 million would not be scrutinised under the procurement act.
Young added that unlike previous non-PNM governments, no member of the government was personally involved in the procurement of goods and services.
In his contribution to debate on the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2023, Young dismissed what he described as fear mongering by the UNC, to make the public believe there was some sinister intent behind the bill.
"I want to put on the record that no one in the government has said that there should not be procurement rules and regulations and procedures and processes, with the procurement of anything under $1 million."
Young said unlike any of its recent predecessors, Government does not simply hand out contracts.
"That may have applied at a certain point in time. But it does not apply now under this government."
Young said Hosein is wrong to claim that "you can break up contracts now, under $1 million and if you have a $10 million contract, break it up into more than ten pieces, and you could give it out."
Referring to Hosein's boasts about his legal acumen, Young said, "If I read section 31 of the parent legislation. Section 31 of the parent legislation says a procuring entity shall not split procurement requirements for a given quantity of goods or services, to avoid obligations under this act."
Government MPs thumped their desks as Young declared,"It is set out there (in the law)."
Young said the amendments to the act was also necessary to level the playing field so all businesses have the opportunity to provide goods and services to any government entity.
He added that flaws in the act have prevented some businesses from registering with the Office of Procurement Regulator (OPR), the first step in this process.
Young told MPs that the OPR has a public depository which contains the list of all businesses registered with them, that could provide goods and services to government entities.
Picking up his ipad, Young showed MPs that he could not access the depository when he logged on to the OPR's website.
He challenged any member of the public to disprove this.
"I just did it."
Young said after registering with the OPR, businesses must then go through a pre-qualification exercise with the government agency it wants to do business with.
He added that only after the completion of that exercise, could they do business with government agencies.
Young identified Massy Foods as one entity which up until recently, could not provide services to the Government because it was not registered with the OPR.
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