FINANCIAL Secretary Simon Wilson.
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
FINANCIAL Secretary Simon Wilson rebuffed a claim in the United States’ latest human rights report that The Bahamas is failing to effectively implement laws related to contracts and procurement.
The report said the country has limited enforcement of conflict-of-interest and anti-corruption clauses in government contracts.
Mr Wilson said that the government has made improvements to fulfil its obligations under the Public Procurement Act.
“I think the procurement reform is an ongoing process,” he said yesterday on the sidelines of an event launching Cloud Bahamas.
“We have made great strides in procurement reform. Obviously, it’s not a flat standard, and each country and each situation is different.”
Mr Wilson said of the US report: “That’s a very broad statement, not reflective of the efforts we have made in terms of procurement reform.
“I will say they will have to provide more specifics on that.
“We are a very small country, so obviously it’s very hard to have people unrelated in this country.
“They have to provide specific examples where there was a clear conflict of interest where the government didn’t act.”
Critics have repeatedly criticised the government for lacking transparency over procurement processes and awards. The financial secretary said the frequency of contract award reporting has increased, adding that full compliance will contribute to transparency.
He noted that the government aims to ensure that all agencies use the GoBonfire online portal to bid and award procurement deals.
“I will say that procurement compliance is a work in progress. We are more compliant than we were two years ago. In a year’s time, we will be more compliant,” he added.
Comments
ExposedU2C 6 months ago
LMAO. Every Tom, Dick and Harry who has lived in our country knows full well that our public sector procurement laws and procedures are inadequate and lacking in way too many respects and not enforced. Yet Simple Simon would have us all believe there is no systemic and pervasive wheeling and dealing behind the scenes by cabinet ministers to determine who should benefit from often heavily padded government contracts of significant value, especially during the year or so before a national election.
And every Sally, Jane and Sue knows Simple Simon is unprincipled and dishonest to his very core which explains his willingness to dutifully carry the rank water of our minister of finance whenever PM Davis tells him he must do so, or else!
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