Written By Leroy Smith
MINISTER within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill, Tuesday called on procurement officers working on projects, especially those financed by the Inter-American Development Bank, to ensure there is operational efficiency in order to maximise benefits to the Guyanese people.

The minister was at the time addressing some fifty procurement officers who were part of a two-day workshop hosted by the Inter- American Development Bank on “Procurement Training and Capacity Building” at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara. The workshop targeted the project executing agency personnel on IDB-financed projects.
WORKING SMARTER
In his address to the officers, Edghill said that after the workshop it is expected that there will be better management of every project that the participants work on as they seek to do things in a better manner and differently, not necessarily working harder but rather working smarter.
He said that at present he as an individual is not entirely satisfied that the Guyanese people are getting value for their money even though he is very grateful for the skills and contractors available to the nation. He then called for an understanding that the contractors are also developmental partners in the process of nation-building.
Edghill stated that in minimising risks and maximising benefits while ensuring operational efficiency, there are three major pillars which need to be addressed – time, cost and fairness.
He made it clear that he was not one of the persons who found happiness in signing letters seeking to have contracts and existing projects extended. He believes there will be fewer requests for extensions if there is a greater level of foresight on the part of consultants and procurement officers.
Deadline dates for contracts are very important, he warned, pointing to the culture of the Guyanese society which has been displaying very little tolerance when it comes to the delivery of goods and services. He also reminded that a Government is ultimately judged on its delivery of goods and services to its people.
INCENTIVES
Edghill said that one of the things receiving consideration is the providing of incentives for contractors who bring in the contracts on or before the deadline date but with quality.
On the issue of fairness, he said that while the procurement officers and consultants are overseeing projects on the government’s behalf, they must also ensure that there is total fairness in the assessment of projects.
Edghill also cautioned the officers not to allow any relationship between themselves and contractors to cloud their minds and prevent them from being fair in their assessments. He said, however,that it was not his suspicion at the moment that such a practice was ongoing.
There should be no making of excuses on contractors’ behalf by those employed by the government to manage projects but the facts must be told, Edghill stated. He said that the practice of consultants making excuses for the contractor is something that gets him very uneasy since the contractors should be the one explaining their inability to get certain things done.
“To improve operational efficiency, we want you to stick to the books, follow the rules, read all the clauses in the contracts, implement everything, (but) we want you to be fair,” Edghill was quoted as saying.
Touching on the cost of contracts, Edghill said that at a personal level, persons tend to never agree to prices but once it is at another level (government money) there seems to be an agreement to prices that show an upward mobility. He described such an approach as very troubling.
Edghill made the comparison while recalling that he was recently told by someone that the profits in contracts come with the variations. He registered his disbelief in that claim stating that there should only be variations in construction under special circumstances.
The minister said that the ministry and the government, and by extension the people of Guyana, want the best price for the delivery of goods and services; and they want to ensure that when a contract is awarded there is little or no adjustments to the original figure unless absolutely necessary.