Govt. change of heart bypasses Cabinet Secretary

Mar 11, 2011 News

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Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said yesterday during his weekly press briefing, that he will be enquiring whether the statements by Walter Willis, Technical Advisor to Minister of Transport/Hydraulics and Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), with regard to media access to project specifications, apply to other sectors where bidding and procurement are being conducted.
Last month, following questions on access to bid documents, Dr. Luncheon made it clear that the media will have to purchase them.
Amidst growing calls for increased transparency on Government contracts, Willis earlier this week issued a statement expressing willingness for his department to have bid documents perused for specifications of contracts.
Questioned whether Government has changed its policy that dictates that the media purchase the documents, the Cabinet Secretary made it clear yesterday that he has not seen Willis’ statement.
“I am not certain what Walter (Willis)’s statement was…I know what I said.”
The official repeated his assertions made last month where he said it was unfair to make the documents available while “tenderers” were paying for these same documents.
“Buying the bid document is a necessary aspect of the tendering process,” Dr Luncheon had stressed, adding that he believes that those who might not want to tender but still want the specifications, would spend some money to acquire the documents.
Luncheon had explained that the possibility that the specifications would be provided free of cost would constitute a fatal blow for the tender board in recovering from the bidders the cost of reproducing the document.
He had stated that if it were to be provided free to someone else, “how could I ask bidders to pay for it…whether you tender or not, once you want the document you have got to buy it.”
While making it clear that he has not seen Willis’ statement, Luncheon admitted that there may be reasons to think that government had reversed its “policy”.
ENQUIRIES AND Questions
“I will have to enquire if what Walter Willis said is standard across the range of sectors where bidding and procurement is taking place.”
Willis, in his statement this week, noted that in an effort to support the government’s policy of transparency, the media would be invited to visit the Public Works Ministry or NDIA to access more information during working hours from Monday to Friday.
The media was advised to use this requirement to gain access to information they may require on the various projects of their specific interest.
Among other things, the bid documents provide the general conditions of contracts, drawings and bill of quantities, among other crucial information.
A number of Parliamentarians and critics had been clamouring for the bid documents to be made available and said that the “secretive” manner in which the specifications of government contracts are made available was a way to facilitate corruption.
Member of Parliament, Everall Franklin, whilst conceding that it is necessary for the contractors who bid for the contracts to purchase the documents given the printing and other costs attached to their preparation, had said that the information should be made available online for the average person to access.
Leader of the Alliance For Change, Raphael Trotman, had opined that for the information to be so difficult to obtain was an insult to the people of the nation.
He questioned why it should be so difficult to access basic information, pointing to the urgent need for the Freedom of Information legislation.

Berbice harbour
Meanwhile, government yesterday said that it does not rule out partnering with CGX in developing a harbour facility in Berbice.
Several weeks ago CGX announced that the mouth of the Berbice River will be transformed into a modern, deep-water seaport capable of accommodating container vessels and supertankers.
Currently this is not possible for bigger ships visiting Guyana because of the restrictions of the Georgetown Harbour.
Updating the media yesterday, Dr. Luncheon said that the Berbice deep-water seaport is a growing centre, especially since the fossil fuel industry is anticipated to develop in that area of maritime exploration. Additionally, the business that comes from Brazil to Guyana is another key factor.
Luncheon pointed out that the administration would prefer the private sector to invest.
However, he noted, an opportunity of public/private investment would not be dismissed.
According to reports from an official of CGX Energy Inc., a Canada-based oil and gas company, the development of the Berbice port area will set the stage for Guyana becoming a hub for vessels of any size, with economic benefits to the entire country.
The CGX deep-sea port is being undertaken amidst increasingly vocal calls for improvement of the services Guyana is offering to the international maritime industry.
Due to the shallow draft of the Demerara River, Guyana has been unable to attract the massive vessels which now characterise the industry.

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