Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Incorporate local content initiatives in bidding documents – Finance Minister urges Budget heads
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan
Finance Minister,
Winston Jordan
recently called for the heads of various budget agencies and permanent secretaries, to incorporate more local content initiatives in bidding documents.
He made this call last Thursday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. There, the Ministry of Finance opened its first 2019 Budget Sensitization and Training Programme.
With a national development strategy and Local content in focus, Jordan said that government agencies must give effect to this by buying Local, wherever possible. He said that this is needed to support the nation’s agro-producers and local manufacturers.
The Finance Minister contended that this will contribute to the reduced demand for imports, thereby saving foreign currency; improve local value added and growth; and increase national and household incomes and employment.
“As I have indicated on several occasions, I am alarmed and get visibly upset when I attend events across our beautiful country and am served imported water, when we have at least half a dozen high quality local producers or, when I am served a fruit bowl that includes apples, grapes and imported melons when I would much prefer juicy Buxton Spice mangoes, a Pomeroon pear, sapodillas, pawpaw, oranges, cashews and watermelons.”
In addition to this, the Finance Minister said that the choices for construction and renovations must see the use of more local woods and manufacturers.
He said that these are just a few examples, and as such, is urging all financial officers to incorporate local content initiatives in your bidding documents.
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