And while each area rep has his politically favored supplier the system is wide open for wanton abuse. And now, to clean it up, the PM is again floating the idea of a central procurement unit. He explained how it will work.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Next Week Tuesday I have asked the financial secretary. We're going to have the financial secretary, the contractor general and the auditor general to come in to talk to cabinet, to explain to them, the FARA, the Finance and Audit Reform Act, the stores supply the store control supply and the financial orders and during that presentation, I'm also bringing in the CEO so that both the CEO and the minister have a direct understanding of what can be done the following week on the 14th of July, we are going to present a project that we have been working through our ministry through the Central Execution Unit."
"We're coming up with what we call a central procurement unit. It is a project we've been working with the IDB and looking at how other countries, have been doing procurement for the country successfully. In short, what will happen is that there's going to be a electronic window so that every ministry will be required or compelled by law that they have to put it there to the public."
"So if the BDF wants tenders, it has to go to the public. If they want to buy anything under 10,000 or whatever, it has to out there in the public to say we're buying so. There has to be openness and transparency and accountability. I think that that's going to transform things. But also I believe that we will be able to save money."
"Why do I say that? Well, because right now different ministries buy from different vendors, and there's generally a 20% discount. And in many instances, the government does not get that 20% discount or 10% whatever discount that they get when they buy."
