Saddam warns Procurement Regulator: You could be the next Jaiwantie

Senior Political Reporter

An Opposition MP has warned Procurement Regulator Beverly Khan to watch out as she could be the “next Jaiwantie Ramdass” after Khan’s Procurement Report noted non-compliance with procurement law by some frontline ministries to selective tendering of contracts valued over $1.2 billion.

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein indicated this at Monday’s UNC meeting. Hosein demanded the procurement process for the selection of the person who’s redesigning T&T’s Coat of Arms and whom he alleged was hand-selected.

After the Procurement Regulator’s first annual report was laid in Parliament on Monday, Hosein said Procurement Regulator Khan noted in the report that the level of preparedness for the transformative changes brought on by full proclamation of the Procurement Act was grossly inadequate.

“I want to tell Ms Khan watch out! She could be the next Jaiwantie Ramdass. They might pelt she out of the office!” Hosein added.

Ramdass is the Auditor General who is at odds with officials from the Finance Ministry over T&T’s accounts for 2023.

Hosein said the Procurement Regulator’s report is telling and has serious matters in it.

“The report cited the ministries which were not complying with the law in terms of publication of contracts. First is the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, National Security, the Tourism Ministry, the Energy Ministry, the office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, the Office of the Prime Minister!” he added.

Hosein said the report stated the Office of Procurement Regulator also voiced “great concern” about a significant overuse of non-competitive procurement methods contrary to the act’s objectives.

“That means that’s sole select, which means ‘you see you fella, ah giving you the contract’. It’s handpicking their friends, family and financiers,” Hosein added.

“For 2023 to 2024, the first quarter – 70 per cent of the contracts were hand selected. For quarter two, 87.3 per cent. Quarter three – 51 per cent. Quarter four – 78 per cent.”

Hosein said the report stated the value of the contracts with respect to selective tendering was over $1.2 billion.

He alleged, “They’ve now hand selected a particular person to redesign the Coat of Arms. I’m not attacking any individual but there’s law to determine how we hire persons and there must be a process – so what was the process to retain this person? We cast no aspersion on the person but we call into question the process for her appointment. There was no procurement for that…it was a hand picked person, Government must answer.”

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