Opposition Member of Parliament and PNC Reform Executive, Ganesh Mahipaul, hammered the Government today for failing to hold anyone accountable for the myriad of problems facing public procurement and the award of major contracts.

At the PNC Reform’s press conference on Friday morning, Mahipaul said the Government has no interest in fixing the broken and corrupt procurement system since it is benefiting the friends and families of the administration.

“Right now what we have, are a set of friends, families and favourites, a set of corrupt individuals engaged in abusing the public procurement act of Guyana and they are abusing it much to their own comfort and the People’s Progressive Party’s comfort. And that is what we have to guard against. Contractors are complaining, residents are complaining about substandard work and we are seeing lots of delays in the completion of works. And we are seeing friends, families and favourites being awarded huge sums in contracts to do work and we are recognising that they have an inability of ensuring they have the capacity to get it done”, Mahipaul stated.

He said the Government continues to dodge the Opposition’s call to be given a seat on the National Tender Board. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has already shot down that suggestion.

Mr. Mahipaul said instead of the Irfaan Ali led government improve the procurement system and address acts of corruption in the system, it is providing shelter for corrupt individuals.

“Don’t bother about that 5:30 meeting that happened, that was a big sham. Up to now, you can’t see anybody being held accountable. Up to now, you cant see Ministers Sonia Parag or Anand Persaud being held accountable for lying to the President and saying only one project they have under their Ministry that is four months or more delayed. Nobody is being held accountable and it was a big sham. And so that is what the People’s Progressive Party do, they engage in optic politics”, he stated.

The Government has been coming under fire over the scores of projects that are facing delays and the many others that are still to be implemented.

The administration has also been accused of having a procurement system that benefits persons who are close to the governing party. In some areas, even supporters of the governing party have been forced to complain to party leaders about friends and families of party representatives coveting contracts ahead of qualified and experienced persons and companies.

The Government has said it is continuing its efforts to tackle acts of corruption.

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Mahipaul calls for overhaul of Guyana’s Public Procurement system MP Mahipaul flags Regional Tender Boards for “abusing” Request a Quotation system over public tenders VP Jagdeo calls on contractors to report corrupt practices by Government workers AFC calls on Public Procurement Commission to probe large contracts issued by Tender Board