OMG Digital Magazine OMG Issue 330 25th October 2018 | Page 39

OMG Digital Magazine | 330 | Thursday 25 October 2018 • PAGE 39
TOBAGO UPDATED ON
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
PLANS FOR
WINDWARD ROAD
With the full proclamation of the Public Procurement Regulations Act soon to come into
effect, stakeholders in Tobago attended a workshop on Friday (October 19) to get up to date
with the requirements of the Act. During the workshop, Office of the Procurement Regulation
(OPR) Corporate Secretary Derlene Liverpool-Young said the Act was designed to govern the
process of public procurement, retention and disposal of public property. Residents of Pembroke and environs
are being commended for being “very
supportive”, as repairs have begun
along the Windward Road in that east
Tobago community. “As a matter of fact, I must say that the
development workers are up to the
task.” Des Vignes said the workers are
making every effort to keep the project
on schedule.
“It also establishes the Office of Procurement Regulation and repeals the Central Tenders Board
Act. Underpinning the Act are principles of good governance, fairness, equity, accountability,
transparency, integrity and value for money.” The OPR can investigate and audit the
procurement process once public property is involved, if a member of the public issues a
complaint. It ensures there is compliance with the Act. The OPR also has special functions,
including the publication of a list of ineligible contractors. Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries
and the Environment Kwesi Des Vignes
said the project is part of larger plans
for Windward Road development. “We’re using strict project management
controls for this project, so workers
have their PPE [personal protective
equipment] etc., and we are going
with timelines and we have to meet
timelines on a daily basis.”
“The Office of the Procurement Regulation can add suppliers and contractors to this list,
where the supplier or contractors consistently fail to provide satisfactory performance or is
found to be indulging in corrupt practices,” she said. The OPR is also mandated to maintain a
procurement
“We realise that there are some areas
that we have to prioritise, and this area
in Pembroke was one of those areas,’
Des Vignes said during Wednesday’s
(October 10) post Executive Council
media briefing.
Des Vignes also commended the
supervisors and engineers for their
efforts to ensure work is completed on
deadline.
German visitors sample dasheen ice cream at the Tobago
Blue Food Festival, which took place on Sunday (October
21, 2018) at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground.