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Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles-Robinson has raised serious concerns over proposed amendments to Trinidad and Tobago’s public procurement legislation, warning that the changes could reduce the powers of the Office of Procurement Regulation while giving greater discretion to ministers and public bodies.
In a strongly worded statement, Beckles-Robinson focused on proposed changes affecting the OPR’s ability to intervene when complaints are made or procurement proceedings come under investigation.
She said that under Clause 5 of the proposed legislation, the OPR would no longer have several existing remedies available to it in those circumstances, including the ability to suspend or stay procurement proceedings, require decisions to be reconsidered or reversed, direct re-evaluations or terminate proceedings.
Beckles-Robinson argued that the significance of those powers was demonstrated earlier this year when the OPR intervened in a Housing Development Corporation procurement exercise involving approximately $3.4 billion in proposed housing contracts.
She questioned why the Government would seek to change the regulator’s powers following that intervention and called for greater public scrutiny of the proposed legislation.
The Opposition Leader also raised concerns about proposed procurement exemptions covering areas including energy, national security, public-private partnerships for public housing and certain emergency-related procurement.
She further objected to provisions which she said would allow the minister to determine additional categories of exempt procurement without the existing level of involvement from the OPR.
Another issue highlighted by Beckles-Robinson was the proposed increase in the threshold for certain exempt procurement from $1 million to $2 million.
According to the Opposition Leader, the combined effect of the amendments would mean more procurement taking place outside the full requirements of the legislation while reducing the independent regulator’s ability to intervene.
Beckles-Robinson also criticised the proposed changes affecting the period available to suppliers to challenge procurement decisions.
Her statement went beyond the procurement amendments, launching a broader political attack on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and linking her concerns to the Government’s Special Operations Bill.
Beckles-Robinson accused the Prime Minister of adopting an increasingly partisan approach to national leadership and questioned comments made by Persad-Bissessar concerning the Opposition and the proposed special operations framework.
She argued that a Prime Minister seeking additional powers under legislation must demonstrate that those powers would be exercised institutionally rather than politically.
Beckles-Robinson concluded by contrasting the Prime Minister’s conduct with her previously stated “Love All” message, declaring: “Mouth open. Tory jump out.”
The Government is expected to face further scrutiny over the proposed procurement amendments as debate continues over how the changes could affect the authority of the OPR and oversight of public spending.
