PEOPLE’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali is the Chairman of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC). This committee, which has members from the Opposition and Government sides of the National Assembly, is responsible for identifying nominees for the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).After those nominees have been identified, they go to the House for a vote, and those considered to be appointed would have had to gain at least two-thirds support by the members of the House. After this process, the names are passed to the President, who would appoint the persons, paving the way for the commission to be established and start functioning.

The PPC is a constitutional body by virtue of being part of the laws, more particularly the supreme law; all efforts must therefore be expended to ensure the establishment of stipulated institutions of State and Government. This institution is considered a foundational element of society, tasked with the responsibility of ensuring Government contracts are procured and managed within established guidelines; nothing should therefore impede its functioning.

Also instructive are reasons that continue to be presented to the public for the PPC not being functional, even as citizens and international bodies continue to express concerns about the perception of, and potential for, corruption seeping into management of the state’s resources and the quality of goods and services Government has procured on the people’s behalf.

At a cursory glance, all the political parties have called for establishment of the PPC. And while they are unified in this call, the disunity exists in turning this call into action. Further, when in opposition, one of the APNU+AFC’s commitments to the society was having this institution established soonest, should the group be elected to office. This is a commitment that has been repeated by the coalition in office.

The reasons advanced by the PPP/C-led Government and the PAC of the 10th Parliament to justify the non-realization of the establishment of the PPC are behind us. What is with us, and ought to be addressed, are the necessity of establishing the PPC, the role of Ali — as PAC chair — in making this happen, and the APNU+AFC government’s commitment to have it happen.

Continued revelations from the forensic audits on alleged misappropriation and fraudulent conversion in recording of the State’s money are enough reasons to be concerned that same can continue. Thus in the absence of established systems and procedures, the possibility of anything going contrary becomes a natural occurrence.

Accusation of corruption bears with it perception, be it real or contrived. The State and Government must move to eliminate the perception on both fronts.

Citizens continue to make known their intolerance for corruption. The opposition political forces are making allegations that corruption is presently taking place. Non-political organisations have also expressed similar concerns. And President Granger, in one of his public speeches, alluded to both its presence in society and the need for it to be eradicated. Thus, whereas confronting corruption requires process, efforts to avoid establishing what is required by law to aid the process will retard the process.

Under Ali’s chairmanship of the PAC in this 11th Parliament, the committee started a fresh hunt for nominees through public advertisement last year. The names of those nominees should have been submitted no later than 23rd December 2015. In January 2016, Ali promised that the commission would be established by March. This is June, and the commission is still to be established; and Ali has once again promised it will be done by month-end.

This chairman must be held to account to ensure his promise become reality, and work must be put into ensuring the commission is successfully established.

Given that the nominees require two-thirds support in the House, it is expected that the PAC, which comprises members of the APNU+AFC Government and the PPP Opposition, would work within the committee to identify the persons who can at least achieve the minimum required votes on the floor. This requires the application of negotiation and commitment to achieve consensus. The public has little appetite for further dilatory tactics on this aspect of governance. The earlier the names of the nominees are on President Granger’s desk, the better it is for this country, the management of its resources, and image — both on the domestic and international fronts.