– AFCThe non-establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) is preventing the National Assembly from moving forward with other matters of national concern, says Cathy Hughes, Alliance For Change (AFC) Parliamentarian.According to Hughes, AFC’s concern has always been the high level of corruption, especially with the issuing of contracts. With the horse trading that is ongoing in the National Assembly, the establishment of the PPC is one of AFC’s bargaining chips before it resumes talks in the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism Bill.Hughes said corruption is not a figment of anybody’s imagination, since media organizations have brought such episodes to light. Changing the perception of corruption would start with the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission.Cathy Hughes“How do you have an independent Commission as operated in other parts of the world that looks fairly at the allocation of $1B contracts, and how could we not have that Commission, or if we do have that Commission, have the Government having the final say?” Hughes asked.According to Hughes,Wholesale Jerseys, the AFC believes any credible Opposition is there to scrutinize and ensure accountability of the public purse. And, regardless of which political party is in Office, Guyana needs to have a system where there is accountability.Hughes finds it troubling that Government would not submit nominees with their resumes to the Public Accounts Committee to allow the formation of the PPC. In fact,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, AFC and A Partnership for National Unity have already submitted theirs.According to Clinton Urling, President of Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the absence of the Public Procurement Commission is one of 20 barriers to Guyana’s competitiveness.Urling said,NFL Jerseys Outlet, “Strong public procurement rules mean more competition, stronger safeguards against corruption, and better services and value for money on behalf of the taxpayers…However, the PPC has yet to commence its operations and fulfill its constitutionality legislated mandate. This failing must be corrected with the urgent commissioning of the PPC.”Only recently, Roshan Khan, Chief Executive Officer of R.K. Guyana Security Services, called for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission that would see the fair awarding of contracts.According to Khan, the awarding of contracts to the lowest bidder is not necessarily the wisest thing to do. He said many businesses may be able to bid below cost because they are involved in illegal activities such as stealing VAT and NIS contributions.He pointed out that the hierarchy of a security company that receives a large portion of Government contracts was apprehended for having stolen items. He opined that perhaps the sales of “hot stuff” allow that company to bid below cost.He, however,Wholesale Jerseys Store, distances his company from such unsavory practices and questioned what staff members are doing at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), where bids are opened, evaluated and then the lowest or best possible bid is sent to Government for its approval.“What kind of people do we have at Central Tender Board? I asked them that at the big meeting they had at Convention Centre. When people are tendering below cost,Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys, are they not doing the arithmetic? They don’t know the mathematics, they don’t know the NIS, operations and you see a man tendering below cost and you are tendering to him. That is a very vexing issue,” he said.According to Khan, some companies are specialized in stealing taxes and NIS contributions, and if evaluators critically examine these bids then the rightful contractor would get the contract. He said security bids take into consideration fuel, labour, NIS contribution which has increased, and other necessary taxes.Khan believes that with the establishment of the PPC with reliable Commissioners,Cheap Jerseys From China, the awarding of contracts would be fair.