–before gov’t considers call for seat on tender board, Jagdeo says

PEOPLE’S Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo last week ruled out the political opposition’s call for a seat on the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), citing the People’s National Congress-Reform/A Partnership for National Unity (PNC/APNU)’s track record of corruption.

Jagdeo, while responding to questions on whether the government would heed the opposition’s calls for a seat on the tender board, said the government would not allow its work to be frustrated by a “negative and obstructionist” opposition.
The General Secretary said: “It is something we will never contemplate until there is a change in the culture of the opposition.”

Jagdeo related that Guyana’s constitution allows for opposition representation on entities such as the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), whose responsibilities include reviewing complaints regarding previously granted contracts.
Jagdeo was particularly critical of the opposition’s history, accusing them of prioritising disruption over constructive governance.

“Their entire history has been focused on disruption,” he stated, adding: “When they are in government, they tried to stay in power by stealing elections and showing no respect for the individual rights of voters. When they are out of government, they try to disrupt everything. Tasks that should take a normal amount of time are drawn out forever.”

The PPP General Secretary, on the other hand, defended the PPP/C’s track record while comparing it to the previous coalition government’s ‘gross underperformance.’
“Under the previous administration, they were doing a fraction—barely one-hundredth—of what we are doing now,” Jagdeo said, noting: “And yet, there were constant charges of corruption and mismanagement. These were not just charges; we demonstrated their failings. I can list them again, but I’ve done this at previous press conferences.”

Jagdeo recently affirmed that contractors and officials who continue to depart from procurement laws and the standard bidding processes will face consequences.
He was at the time responding to misinformation that was being peddled by opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul in some sections of the local media.

The PPP General Secretary had highlighted the ongoing efforts by the government to weed out corrupt practices within the procurement process, pointing to the numerous community engagements and meetings held in collaboration with stakeholders from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), regional executive officers and permanent secretaries.