{"id":22955,"date":"2022-07-07T22:41:39","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T03:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev?p=22955"},"modified":"2022-07-05T19:50:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-06T00:50:45","slug":"procurement-issues-with-refinery-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/procurement-issues-with-refinery-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"Procurement issues with refinery sale"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trinidad and Tobago<\/p>\n

The Joint Council for the Construction Industry (JCC) is alarmed but not surprised by statements attibuted to the Finance Minister, as reported in the media on May 31, that \u201cthe current procurement process being carried out by TPHL for the sale or lease of the refinery has been closely monitored by the Ministry of Finance for the last 12 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is even more appalling, is that Mr Imbert went on the claim, \u201cthe ministry is satisfied that the process has been robust and rigorous, and completely above board and consistent with best practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The minister is fully aware that best procurement practice requires independent, transparent oversight as envisaged in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act.<\/p>\n

If the act was fully implemented, this TPHL transaction would be more palatable to the public, as the independent Office of the Procurement Regulator would have had legal oversight. The key word here is independent.<\/p>\n

We cannot continue to tolerate himself-checking-himself as the Minister of Finance proudly announced. The government\u2019s abysmal failure to complete this critical change in the way we do business with public money and public property, no doubt whatsoever, needs to be squarely laid at the feet of the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

He has tolerated, if not aided his Finance Minister\u2019s copiously documented excuse after excuse since 2016. The PM himself promised the public, on the eve of the 2020 election, that full operationalisation of the act would be realised within a few weeks.<\/p>\n

Seven years later, this ball was kicked into the court of the new Attorney General in March. The AG has since provided no timeline for taking his long-awaited note to cabinet.<\/p>\n

Dr Rowley seems content to placate the masses with talk of transparency and accountability since 2015, when his government came into power. His legacy in this regard will be one of a failure to use his executive power to act in the best interest of the people.<\/p>\n

He has effectively squandered the opportunity to stymie the rot of massive corruption with this world class procurement legislation. Any dent that could have been made on the endemic and systemic corruption in this country, by his administration, could have not only saved billions of taxpayers\u2019 dollars annually, but also initiate positive transformational change in attitudes regarding accountability and transparency.<\/p>\n

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more<\/a><\/p>\n

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image: pexels-tima-miroshnichenko<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trinidad and Tobago The Joint Council for the Construction Industry (JCC) is alarmed but not surprised by statements attibuted to the Finance Minister, as reported in the media on May…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1091,"featured_media":22956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[250],"tags":[71,137],"class_list":["post-22955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles","tag-procurement","tag-trinidad-and-tobago"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-5662862-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1438&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-5Yf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23840,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/ag-meets-with-chairman-of-office-of-procurement-regulation\/","url_meta":{"origin":22955,"position":0},"title":"AG meets with Chairman of Office of Procurement Regulation","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"September 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 Attorney General Reginald Armour met with the Chairman of the Office of Procurement Legislation and Procurement Regulator Moonilal Lalchan ahead of the proclamation of the Public Procurement Act. In a statement the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said Armour and his Ministry team\u00a0held\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled-e1661985252434.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled-e1661985252434.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled-e1661985252434.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled-e1661985252434.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4325,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/questions-still-linger-on-procurement-of-vessel-devant\/","url_meta":{"origin":22955,"position":1},"title":"Questions still linger on procurement of vessel\u2014Devant","author":"Michele Marius","date":"February 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Reacting to Finance Minister Colm Imbert\u2019s disclosures on the purchase of a new vessel for the seabridge, former Transport Minister Devant Maharaj accused Imbert of continuing to \u201cobfuscate the issue without clarifying the core issues surrounding the procurement of the new ferry.\u201d Maharaj said Imbert\u2019s statement left the door open\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Ferry-Via-Tsuji-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Ferry-Via-Tsuji-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Ferry-Via-Tsuji-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Ferry-Via-Tsuji-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23152,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/fiddling-while-rome-burns\/","url_meta":{"origin":22955,"position":2},"title":"Fiddling while Rome burns","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"July 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago If the Government would stop procrastinating and \u00adfully operationalise the Office of the Procurement Regu\u00adlator, there would be independent oversight of the tender process for all these special-purpose companies spending public money. This includes UdeCOTT with its dubious Calder Hart history. As it stands, the public is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/pexels-rodnae-productions-7841812-scaled-e1648207457324.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/pexels-rodnae-productions-7841812-scaled-e1648207457324.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/pexels-rodnae-productions-7841812-scaled-e1648207457324.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/pexels-rodnae-productions-7841812-scaled-e1648207457324.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32277,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/contractors-want-laws-to-regulate-industry\/","url_meta":{"origin":22955,"position":3},"title":"Contractors want laws to regulate industry","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"January 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago President of the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association, Glenn Mahabirsingh, said yesterday that the body would be renewing its call for contractor licensing\u00a0and registration\u00a0legislation in the new year. In an interview with Guardian Media, Mahabirsingh\u00a0said the policy will help further regulate the industry by protecting individuals and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12329,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/tt-chamber-renews-call-for-implementation-of-procurement-legislation\/","url_meta":{"origin":22955,"position":4},"title":"T&T Chamber renews call for implementation of procurement legislation","author":"Michele Marius","date":"March 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce (T&T Chamber) is again appealing to the Government to operationalise the substantive provisions of The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act. The T&T Chamber in a statement called for the immediate proclamation of Section 24 - (1), 2 except (f), (3)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News\/Developments"","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Procurement-in-handwriting-The-Blue-Diamond-Gallery.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Procurement-in-handwriting-The-Blue-Diamond-Gallery.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Procurement-in-handwriting-The-Blue-Diamond-Gallery.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Procurement-in-handwriting-The-Blue-Diamond-Gallery.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1091"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22955"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22957,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22955\/revisions\/22957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}