The Tribune

• Campaigners urge: ‘Bring them into line’ with new Act

• Anti-corruption group to call for stalled legislation’s revival

• Effort key to reducing ‘corruption and maladministration’

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Anti-corruption campaigners yesterday urged the Government to make it “a priority” that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) use the electronic procurement processes amid recent controversy over contract awards.

Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, told Tribune Business that there was a perception that the likes of Bahamasair and the Water & Sewerage Corporation operate “outside the fold” as he called for them to be “brought into line with other areas of government” on tendering and bidding processes.

The long-awaited Public Procurement Act comes into effect today just days after controversy erupted over the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s 2018 awarding of cleaning, maintenance and painting contracts to Elite Maintenance, a company which was allegedly represented in a legal capacity by the then-financee of the utility’s executive chairman, Adrian Gibson.

Mr Gibson subsequently rejected any claims of wrongdoing or impropriety relating to the Elite Maintenance contracts, adding that their issuance was approved by the Board. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), though, has called for a probe into the controversy by the police and Attorney General’s Office.

Mr Aubry yesterday said that adhering to the new Act, in particular using the Government’s e-Procurement Supplier Registry of all vendors eligible to bid on a contract, and issuing tenders through the accompanying portal together with bidder scores, would help eliminate many of the claims and finger-pointing relating to public sector contracts.

However, he added that the Public Procurement Act needed to be accompanied by the passage of the Integrity Commission Bill and Ombudsman’s Bill - two pieces of legislation that were left on the drawing board when the Prime Minister dissolved Parliament last month.

Mr Aubry said ORG is due to issue “an open call” to all the political parties “to keep” those Bills on their agenda and pass them if elected to office. And he praised the PLP for including them and other anti-corruption legislation in its “Blueprint for Change”, describing this as a “heartening” development.

Pledging that ORG will closely watch the Public Procurement Act’s implementation, Mr Aubry said: “We know that the Public Procurement Act is a key part of any anti-corruption effort. The e-procurement system is a major step forward. We’ve been calling for its full enactment, and it’s important to see the registry process open and fully functioning.

“That’s a game changer related to public procurement, making it more open, transparent and open to a broader base of business. That’s crucial for any government looking to stimulate the economy by privatising spending on infrastructure projects, and making sure that it reaches as many local vendors as possible is key.

“It enhances competitiveness, ensures a more transparent process in that people are registered, and as bids are awarded each company can see its scores and those of competitors. It also reduces the potential for corruption and maladministration, and is definitely an opportunity to improve our governance at this time.”

When it came to the Water & Sewerage Corporation controversy, Mr Aubry said he backed the recommendations made by procurement specialist Daniel Ferguson in his Tribune Business article yesterday that “there should be an effort and a priority that SOEs are utilising the procurement registry”.

The ORG chief added: “It’s been identified that these SOEs are a potential area that is outside the fold, decisions are not made through a central contracting mechanism, and that they need to be brought in line with other areas of government....

“I think it highlights the need for the procurement registry to be fully operational and in place as the standard and universal mechanism, but also calls for the passage of the Integrity Commission Bill and Ombudsman’s Bill.

“They would establish an independent space where conflict of interest concerns can be looked at and vetted. There needs to be a space outside the political arena that looks at these things, and either disavows them or takes further action if needed. It’s important that the public understands these mechanisms, how these issues can be solved and what the required process is,” Mr Aubry continued.

“It brings the process into a more open space, and can increase and improve our reputation - both locally and internationally - relating to the way we address these issues and that’s a really important component of restoring confidence so we can have as many strategic investments as we need.”

Affirming that ORG has far from given up on the Integrity Commission Bill and Ombudsman’s Bill, Mr Aubry said: “In the next day or two we are going to be putting out an open call for those seeking office to keep these pieces of legislation on the agenda and pass them, in addition to enhancing debt management and ensuring that, as we look at revenue generation, we focus on making sure expenditure in government is as efficient and effective as possible.”

Praising the PLP for making this pledge, he added that it was critical that voters hold the parties to account on when and how these Bills would be passed “so a promise does not sit there for four years. It’s important that these are not just passed but included in the actions of the incoming administration”.