PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar believes that the many cases often advanced by opposition political parties and sections of the local media against the government on the issue of corruption are overstated. The government in power has never been oblivious to the fact that corruption exists in all strata of society, according to the Head of State but, is defending its record of pursuing efforts to tackle the scourge since taking office in 1992.
President Ramotar had acknowledged recently that there are situations where high officials use positions of influence to frustrate persons conducting legitimate business but in an exclusive interview with Chief Executive Officer (acting) of the National Communications Network (NCN) Michael Gordon, he said the measures initiated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to promote transparency and accountability are unparalleled to the efforts of any other government.
“We are the ones who put in place a bidding system. There was never a bidding system before we came into office,” President Ramotar explained in reference to the public procurement regime.
The award of contracts is often the premise on which the opposition point fingers at the government on allegations of corruption even though there have been many attempts to explain how the system works.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh at a recent procurement symposium had explained that the absence of legislation prior to 2003 saw the procurement and tender process being administered through an administrative circular but, with the passage of the Procurement Act the national procurement and tender administration was established and an eprocure website created  where  government ads are posted.
Cabinet is restricted to a ‘no objection’ but can request a re-appraisal at the level of the national procurement and tender administration which advances the recommendations.
Contractors and suppliers of goods and services now feel compelled to tighten their belts after President Ramotar recently told them to get their act together or face penalties for delays, overruns and variations that are costing the government taxpayers’ money.
He believes that design engineers, consultants, supervisors and other aides who are integral in the process should also pay for negligence and called on the Attorney General and the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the necessary amendments that will make such a law applicable.
Community residents who feel dissatisfied with the quality of work undertaken in their districts should also obtain and peruse clauses in the contract, according to President Ramotar, who believes that those stakeholders too have to ensure that money spent is money well deserved.
The government in early January moved to terminate the contract awarded to Synergy Holdings for construction of the access road to the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project after the company owned by Fip” Motilall failed to honour one of the terms of a completion agreement.