THE Public Procurement Commission (PPC) hosted a contract management training on Tuesday for representatives of various agencies, focusing on building capacity and strengthening public procurement practices.
The training, which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, brought together senior representatives from ministries, agencies and departments and provided critical information in relation to Guyana’s procurement legislation, among other things.

As part of the presentations, Attorney-at-Law attached to the PPC, Esther Osborne, told representatives gathered that the commission exists to safeguard the system and contributes by directly managing or influencing public trust, reduction of corruption and efficient public service delivery.

Against this backdrop, she indicated that the PPC accounts for a significant portion of national expenditure and indicated that it influences everything from road construction to the procurement of textbooks.
As such, she stated that a sound procurement system is not just a legal obligation but also a developmental imperative.

Further to this, she told the senior representatives that the PPC has drafted proposed amendments to parts of the legislative structure to bring further improvement to the procurement system.
“The Public Procurement Commission has drafted proposed amendments as is part of our functions, to the procurement act and other parts of the legislative structure to see enhancement in the procurement processes… Hopefully, soon we will see a revamping of the legislative framework and by extension an improvement in the overall procurement system,” Osborne added.

The attorney went on to add that the commission stands as a guardian of transparency, equity and accountability to ensure that public funds are spent in a responsible manner.
Meanwhile, representatives present at the one-day training also benefitted from insightful presentations on other critical topics in relation to contract management.