PNM staying away from JSC, urges government to halt award of contracts

The Opposition People's National Movement (PNM) has ignored calls by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to reconsider its decision to withdraw its members from the Joint Select Committee on Procurement.

In a media statement Thursday the party insisted that the three PNM members on the committee - Opposition leader Keith Rowley, MP Colm Imbert and Senator Faris Al Rawi - "fully participated and contributed in the JSC Meeting" and asked the Government to present its policy position on forumlating a bill for consideration by Parliament. It said the government has not provided its position.

"In the meantime the Opposition has withdrawn from this stage of the process and it is now for the Government to take a position at Committee and bring a bill to the Parliament," the party declared in its media statement.

It added that it is the government's responsibility to bring legislation to Parliament. 

"The Opposition objects to the fact that while the Committee's work has reached the point of a draft Bill the Government still does not identify with a policy position," the PNM said. 

It added that while there is no bill the Government is moving "with indecent haste to improperly award a number of huge multi-billion dollar contracts ahead of the enactment of new procurement legislation...We refer specifically to the Invaders Bay Land Development Project and the more recently announced Rapid Rail Project."

The party also called on Government to cease all activity with respect to the award of any major contracts before the Parliament passes new Procurement legislation.