Figueira hopeful gov’t, opposition will agree on names for PPC by next week

Chairman of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Jermaine Figueira on Monday said he was hopeful that the government and opposition will find consensus on naming five persons to reconstitute the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

With some eight persons now shortlisted from an initial list of 26, Figueira told reporters on Monday at Parliament Buildings, Georgetown, that he hopes the five names can be agreed upon by next week.

The eight shortlisted names are four persons recommended by the APNU+AFC opposition and four from the ruling PPP/C.

“We have to take those names to our respective parties to further deliberate before we come to the five names required.

“We are still in that process, it is not yet completed, but I believe we have made strides in naming the candidates to fill the positions,” he said.

The eight names were agreed upon following a meeting with Figueira and PAC member and Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Texeira.

The PAC is responsible for recommending the names which will then go to the President who will then administer the Oath of Office.

The functions of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) include making regulations governing procurement, determining documents for public procurement such as bidding, prequalification, evaluation and contract forms, to review decisions of procuring entities and adjudicating debarment proceedings.

The Public Procurement Commission was constituted on October 28, 2016, when the first five Commissioners were sworn in by former President David Granger.

That allowed for a significant reduction of the role Cabinet plays in the awarding of contracts.