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Procurement Bill finally passed
Opposition Senators abstain
Yvonne Baboolal
Published:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
After a long, drawn-out ten-year process the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Bill was passed in the Senate yesterday by a special three-fifths majority. It was passed after 24 members, including 15 Government and all nine Independent Senators, voted in favour of it. The Opposition had debated vociferously against the bill and the six PNM Senators present yesterday abstained from voting.
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and deputy political leader Marlene McDonald were not present in the Upper House at the time. Leader of Government Business in the Senate Ganga Singh described the passing of the bill as historic. The Opposition’s main contention was that the Government deliberately delayed the passage of the bill over the last four-and-a-half years to conduct certain procurement activities.
It argued that the Bill was brought for passage at this time only to gain political mileage for the 2015 general election. Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie, who piloted the bill, gave a rousing summary before it was passed. He focused on countering Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi’s earlier presentation.
Tewarie said he did not need to respond to Al-Rawi’s charge that the Government was misinterpreting the Opposition’s position “because the population is an intelligent population and knows who is skinning teeth and being deceptive and who is telling the truth.” He said Al-Rawi, like Rowley, sought to turn the procurement debate into a debate on Invader’s Bay and insinuate there was some kind of malpractice in the billion-dollar state project.
He refuted the Opposition’s argument that the Central Tenders Board (CTB) rules were bypassed in the award of contracts for the project. He said the CTB Act in relation to procurement applies to government quarters and not land and that the Commissioner of State Land dealt with all land matters. Tewarie said there was no subterfuge in the delay in the passage of procurement legislation. The bill lapsed because the PNM raised three main issues and the Government wanted to give them a hearing.
Tewarie also countered the Opposition’s argument that the Government did not allow the President to proclaim the bill by absolute discretion. He said the Constitution provided for executive power but the President was not an executive president. Charging that the Opposition really did not want procurement legislation, Tewarie said it was true it brought a white paper on it in 2005 and legislation in 2006.
He admitted it was that legislation that went before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament which presented the report that led to the present bill. However, at no time during its tenure did the PNM ever bring procurement legislation to Parliament for debate, he added. “All they did was galay and galay and galay,” the minister said, slipping into the colloquial.
Praising the Government, he said: “You could call it a box drain government if you want, but people in rural areas you put in the bamboo see the benefit of box drains.” Tewarie said the Government also did more projects in the urban PNM stronghold of East Port-of-Spain in three years than the PNM did in 20 years. “And if you only stretch me, I have the list and I will read it out,” he said, to laughter from his colleagues.
Charging the PNM was self righteous and came to Parliament playing holier than thou, Tewarie attempted to disclose details of the Broadgate project scandal under the PNM regime. However, he was quickly opposed by the Opposition on the grounds the matter was subjudice. Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith agreed and Tewarie was silenced.
He vowed the Government was going to be in power for the next five years “and not because I say so but because the people are watching and listening and talking and also looking at what you (the PNM) are and making judgments. “The country has been brought to a good place in four-and-half years,” he said.
more info
Civil Society Group responds
Chairman of the Private Sector, Civil Society Group on Public Procurement, Winston Riley welcomed the passage of the bill, which he said had been a long time in coming. He added: “First we have to give credit to Minister Tewarie and the Independent Senators who were the driving force in getting this legislation passed. “The legislation is far more rigorous than anything that went before and we are generally happy with it in its present form.”
He said the most important issue now was the operation of the legislation and he called on the President to provide his assent to it, which he said would be a Christmas gift to the population.
Christmas greeting in House
Parliament was adjourned to a date to be fixed until after the Christmas holidays. Government Senator Marlene Coudray, giving Christmas greetings called on the nation to reflect on Christ, “the reason for the season.” “We spend so much time shopping and making preparations and have no time to reflect on what the celebrations are about. The celebrations are about the Christ child,” she said.
Camille Robinson-Regis, on behalf of the PNM, said Christmas was one of the religious festivals in T&T celebrated by all groups. “Where I live, the neighbour opposite me is a Hindu and has more lights than me. “Everybody shares in the spirit. I think it because of what it means,” she said, quoting Isaiah 9:6.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-12- ... lly-passed
Habit7 wrote:After 4.5 years of corruption and allegations of corruption the govt finally passed the bill they promised since 2010. The bill however will be proclaimed 6 months from now after the minister of planning puts in needed infrastructure.
So the next govt in 2015 we can expect proper procurement and transparency, not this one.
hustla_ambition101 wrote:They thief for 4 years then pass the bill when pockets already filled
UML wrote:still no evidence of this corruption that the PNM sings
was it taken to the authorities? was anyone charged?
wish we cud say the same about the PNM DPP!!
K74T wrote:Who was Reshmi Ramnarine?
UML wrote:still no evidence of this corruption that the PNM sings
Habit7 wrote:UML wrote:still no evidence of this corruption that the PNM sings
was it taken to the authorities? was anyone charged?
wish we cud say the same about the PNM DPP!!
What was Mary King fired for?
desifemlove wrote:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/5000-pension-in-January-286187771.html
Achievement? or buying votes? either may do..lol..
UML wrote:who has been charged?
zoom rader wrote:desifemlove wrote:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/5000-pension-in-January-286187771.html
Achievement? or buying votes? either may do..lol..
It is what that is owed to those that that have worked and contributed to development of Trini. They paid their taxes in their working life's and they are owed this amount.
Senior citizens have every right to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Although it's only a pension grant to the less fortunate and not NIS.
zoom rader wrote:desifemlove wrote:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/5000-pension-in-January-286187771.html
Achievement? or buying votes? either may do..lol..
It is what that is owed to those that that have worked and contributed to development of Trini. They paid their taxes in their working life's and they are owed this amount.
Senior citizens have every right to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Although it's only a pension grant to the less fortunate and not NIS.
desifemlove mistakenly wrote:provided one is a citizen, yuh should get pension....
desifemlove should have wrote:provided one was a working citizen who contributed to the economy, yuh should get pension....
hustla_ambition101 wrote:zoom rader wrote:desifemlove wrote:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/5000-pension-in-January-286187771.html
Achievement? or buying votes? either may do..lol..
It is what that is owed to those that that have worked and contributed to development of Trini. They paid their taxes in their working life's and they are owed this amount.
Senior citizens have every right to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Although it's only a pension grant to the less fortunate and not NIS.
Actually, gov't pensioners (those who worked for a living) get shaft plenty with these new pension schemes. The ones who were getting the bigger pensions were those who never worked a day in their lives but sat at home and squeezed out child after child on a yearly basis.
After School Programme to be launched
December 18 2014
In an attempt to help students achieve better grades, the Education Ministry will begin a free After-School Center Program.
According to Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh, it will be rolled out in all 444 Primary Schools, as well as 125 Secondary Schools in Trinidad.
Open from 3:15 to 5pm from Monday to Friday, the centers will focus on students who have fallen behind in their studies.
Dr. Gopeesingh has assured of the safety of the program, in light of recent violent incidents in schools.
He said the schools’ security guards will be on duty until 6pm, while the program ends at 5 o’clock.
The Minister added that the Tobago leg of the programme will be announced at a later time.
Meanwhile, the Education Minister says they are now inviting applicants online for substitute teachers.
Teacher absenteeism has been of major concern, but Dr. Tim Gopeesingh believes the online applications would help deal with this problem
http://www.103fm.net/after-school-progr ... -launched/
Habit7 wrote:Wow more provisions for parents to be away from their children. Just what this nation needs!
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