The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Government’s online procurement portal is heading in a “positive” direction by providing timely updates on contract awards, a governance reformer said yesterday.

Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, told Tribune Business he has made a “strong push” since the start of 2023 to bring government and civil society together so that there can be a better understanding on how to proceed with anti-corruption initiatives.

“What I noted, which I thought was really interesting and very positive, is on the procurement site,” he said. “You now can not only see all the open bids, but you’re also now starting to see the reporting of bids that have been awarded.

“And, in the row on the reporting of the awarded contracts, you can start to see not only who it was awarded to and when the award happened, but also - in some instances, but not all of them - a condition of why that was chosen. It might be the most affordable, or was not the most affordable but had better experience.”

After months of controversy over whether the Government is complying with the requirements of the original Public Procurement Act and its successor, especially when it comes to publishing the winning bidder’s name, contract value and details of the award within 60 days of issuance, Mr Aubry said its procurement portal is now “providing confidence to people” who bidding and rely on such work.

Mr Aubry added: “I think that needs to be recognised and commended,because it is forward movement. This start does put us in the right direction.”

Other measures to improve transparency and fight corruption are also “better than they were” in years past. Mr Aubry said: “When public procurement has all the pieces in place, and there’s a very open and easy to access an appeals process, then that means people who have questions can get it when freedom of information is fully enacted, and when we have a more functional and successful Public Disclosure Act.

“If the Government has promised an Integrity Council in their ‘Blueprint for Change’, if that becomes a possibility, then you have all of these things working in tandem as well as the further digitisation of government services. All of these things are a major step forward.”

Other initiatives, such as ensuring public officials are free from potential conflicts of interest, also hold “great potential for the future” and ORG is hopeful the Government will move on these issues in 2024.

Mr Aubry said: “The other thing is there’s been a focus on the public service and helping the public servants to do better. The minister (Pia Glover-Rolle) has talked about that, and talked about different plans. That’s a major contributor to the reduction of corruption, and a major move towards integrity in governance.”