‘Procurement Commission’ rebuffs Kaieteur News’ ‘misrepresentation of facts’ on employment costs

THE Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has expressed concern over the misrepresentation of facts in an article under the headline, “Employment costs for Public Procurement Commission up by $115M – 2023 Annual Report” which was published in the Kaieteur News on December 4, 2024.
According to the PPC, the reported $115 million increase in employment costs for 2023 compared to 2022 lacks proper context and explanation.

The commission pointed out that this information could have been easily understood had the media outlet thoroughly examined the PPC’s 2023 Annual Report, which was submitted to the National Assembly in December 2023.
The PPC highlighted that the current commission, constituted on July 8, 2022, by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, had to undertake a significant recruitment drive in 2022 to re-staff its constitutionally mandated secretariat. This was necessary because the contracts of most employees had expired by the time the new commission was formed.

To provide a more accurate comparison, the PPC suggested that the 2023 employment costs should be compared to those of 2019, which was the last year the previously constituted PPC operated with a fully staffed secretariat.
In 2019, the total employment cost was $163.2 million. The 2023 employment cost of $175.8 million represents an increase of only $12.5 million or seven per cent compared to 2019.

The commission also said that it has reviewed and restructured its organisation, removing unnecessary administrative positions and replacing them with technical staff. This restructuring aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the PPC’s operations.

“The PPC expresses disappointment that the media outlet did not seek clarification before publishing the article, emphasising the importance of responsible journalism. The commission reiterates its commitment to transparency and welcomes media scrutiny but stresses the need for accurate reporting,” the commission said.

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