VICE-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent assurance that small contractors across all 10 administrative regions will benefit from government contracts is a step in the right direction.
It is telling that some 12,000 small contractors reportedly submitted documents under the government’s pre-qualification exercise.
It is a sign not only of confidence in the process, but of the scale of demand among ordinary Guyanese for a chance to participate in the country’s economic expansion.
Access to State contracts is one of the clearest tests of whether growth is reaching communities across the country as oil revenues reshape the national economy.
Contracts under $15 million could be awarded without a tender process for years under the law. The Vice-President himself said that system helped thousands.
But it also led to a persistent complaint: Many eligible citizens simply didn’t know how to get to those opportunities.
Therefore, a structured pre-qualification system is a necessary step. Transparency in public procurement is not a luxury; it’s critical to public confidence. For citizens to have faith in the fair distribution of State resources, the process must be open, clear and guided by rules that apply to everyone equally.
The challenge, however, is in implementation. Jagdeo’s acknowledgement that the vetting process had thrown up several anomalies, including companies associated with families making multiple attempts to enter, and larger contractors trying to gain entry through smaller operators, underscores the vulnerability of public programmes when money is involved.
That fact should not surprise anyone. Whenever government opens a door intended to level the playing field, more entrenched interests will inevitably try to capture the benefit.
The administration, thus, is right to clean up the list, and to apply the pre-qualification rules with a heavy hand. We must not let a system built for small contractors turn into a back door for the powerful.
At the same time, the government has to be honest about expectations. The vice- president is right; you can’t hand out thousands of contracts all at once. But that practical limitation also has a political danger.
Frustration is inevitable when some get contracts early and some have to wait. That’s why transparency is even more important in such cases. To retain confidence in the process, there must be clear timelines, public criteria, and periodic updates.
The broader principle is right: A country in the midst of rapid economic transformation cannot afford to build prosperity on narrow foundations. Small contractors create jobs, keep money circulating locally, and help to grow entrepreneurship beyond the traditional business class.
Strategic use of public procurement can be one of the most powerful tools to broaden participation in Guyana’s development.
And that’s why the scenes at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday also held significance.
Hundreds of citizens braved the bad weather to seek help, raise concerns, and pursue opportunities. Directly engaging the officials were old persons, women with children, differently-abled citizens, and youth seeking contracts, business support, and tertiary education assistance.
That turnout sent a very clear message: Guyanese are not interested in hearing about development. They want to touch it.
So, too, is Jagdeo’s further statement that the government has moved from electioneering to delivery. Campaign pledges; governments must deliver!
His explanation that he has been busy in recent months planning, implementing, developing housing, and managing the economy rather than making public appearances is reasonable enough.
Citizens judge governments not only by plans made behind closed doors, but by roads built, homes delivered, contracts shared fairly, and livelihoods improved.
So, the administration has set itself an ambitious benchmark. It has promised inclusive growth; not just growth. Not just spending, but a fair chance.
When successfully implemented, thousands of small contractors all over Guyana could gain a foothold in the economy and help spread the benefits of national development well beyond Georgetown and the established business elite.
The government has made its choice known. It wants to give all Guyanese the opportunity to participate in building the country.