Government Member of the Public Account Committee, Works Minister Juan Edghill believes a dangerous precedence was set where Public Officers were obtaining credit from suppliers for various items and services for Government agencies.

He has warned that such a practice is in breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act since the Government should not be taking credit.

During yesterday’s meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, it was revealed that in 2019 under the previous Government, Health related goods were supplied to the Region Five Democratic Council before requests were made.

The Auditor General had flagged several similar transactions from the Region, and it was raised at the Public Accounts Committee on Monday as past and present Regional Executive Officers were questioned about the practice.

“Every supplier must know that to supply items without a contract is a breach in itself and the government is not obligated to pay them, suppliers must know that and for any public officer to request a supplier to provide goods to an agency without a contract or a proper document for request for purchase, is a dangerous precedence that is being set and at the end of it, it was these very suppliers when they weren’t paid had to come and fix documentation to get paid for something that was provided months ago.” Edghill said.

But while that was the contention of Mr. Edghill, former Regional Executive Officer, Ovid Morrison could not recall how the issue came about or what prompted it. While the immediate past REO Genevive Blackman, was able to retrieve some documents regarding the transaction, she said there was no information available at the RDC to say what necessitated the abnormal transaction.

But Mr. Edghill said the issue is a serious one, and must be treated as such.

“Every supplier in Guyana must know from today, that the Government is not entitled to take credit based upon the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act,” Mr. Edghill noted.

But while Opposition Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes, agreed with Mr. Edghill, she said there is another side to the argument, where contractors are able to start Government contracts without even signing off on government contracts. She said that is currently taking place in the same Ministry that is being headed by Minister Edghill.

Minister Edghill has suggested questioning the suppliers in relation to the 2019 matters, but MP Fernandes argued that the PAC does not have any such powers.

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