Afra Raymond chats with Shabaka Kambon, Dr. Claudius Fergus and Amb. Rev. Kwame Kamau on the Emancipation Support Committee’s online radio programme “INDABA: Where Knowledge Grows” on Talk City 91.1FM on Wednesday, 31 May 2023. They speak on the implementation of the new Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act in Trinidad and Tobago.
The previous article dealt with the sudden unexplained shift from the supposedly-defective Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act (the Act) to the welcome announcement of its proclamation, so long-overdue. I called for an official explanation for this sudden shift, but there has been no response thus far.
The silence of our Learned friends on this issue is as echoing and eerie as it is eloquent. These colleagues have opinions on so much else. Yes, Power is defined by those things you are not allowed to speak about, so self-censorship is as real as the nose on your face. Well I tell you eh!
This article will challenge the basis for the 2020 exemptions to the Act (via Act #27 of 2020), which included Government to Government Agreements (G2G are usually the hugest projects); matters of national security; legal services; debt financing services for the national budget; accounting and auditing services; medical emergency or other scheduled medical services. The Government decided that these transactions in Public Money did not require the oversight of the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) which the Parliament approved. I think that inimical to the public interest.
Continue reading “What is the gap in our new Public Procurement law?”“Ambiguity and silence is the enemy of #ethics and #integrity.”
Richard Bistrong @Richardbistrong Twitter feed. Dec 5, 2019
“‘Manufactured consent’ is supported by…effective and powerful ideological institutions that carry out a system-supportive propaganda function by reliance on market forces, internalized assumptions, and self-censorship, and without overt coercion.”
Noam Chomsky, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media 1988, (New York: Pantheon Books)
The Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act (the Act) was fully proclaimed on Wednesday 26 April 2023, which makes that one of our Republic’s truly historic days by any measure.
I welcomed the decision to proclaim the Act, since even with the damaging suite of 2020 exemptions, this is a tremendous step in the right direction of Accountability, Transparency and Good Governance so that we can achieve improved Value for Money in our Public Affairs. The Private Sector Civil Society Group wrote and lobbied for this important law, so this is the result of long-term, collective effort. We owe serious appreciation to those who persisted when this was a faraway vision.
Continue reading “Manufactured Consent in new Public Procurement law?”
Afra Raymond is interviewed on CCN TV6 ‘Morning Edition‘ by host, Lance Mottley on Tuesday, 25 April 2023 on the implementation of the Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act. Video courtesy CCN TV6
Afra Raymond was interviewed on The Power Breakfast Show on Power 102 FM ,radio on Monday, 24 April 2023 with Paul Richards, Richard Ragoobarsingh and Wendell Stephens, on the impending proclamation of the Public Procurement law.
Afra Raymond is CNC3 interviewed on Morning Brew television programme on Monday 24th April 2023 with Jason ‘JW’ Williams on the impending proclamation of the new Public Procurement law. Video courtesy CNC3
Afra Raymond was interviewed by Kieron Samaroo of U97.5 FM Multicultural Radio’s Program, The People’s Platform on the impending proclamation of the new Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act. Audio courtesy U97.5 FM.
This is an interview with Trinidadian journalist and television host, Fazeer Mohammed, on Saturday, 25 March 2023 detailing this serious challenge to implementation of the Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Property Act.
15:11 to 17:05 Afra Raymond calls on the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) to convene an examination of the Constitution Imbroglio
19:45 to 20:50 LATT should call out the Judiciary’s 29-page note—unsupported—to the Attorney General
22:44 to 25:25 Cost of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Roger Gaspard, SC’s new office space and the scandalous decision of the AGLA to accept those terms.
26:51 to 27:48 DPP Gaspard must explain the apparent inaction in the CL Financial matter based on the Colman Report
33.42 to 34:56 Disturbing existing Arrangements
46:26 to 47.24 (or to 47:49) CJ batting well outside his crease! Judicial Educational Institute
The Institute of Surveyors’ of Trinidad & Tobago held its ‘Land Policy for Sustainable Development‘ conference at UWI on 22-23 March 2023. Afra Raymond delivered the keynote address on Wednesday, 22 March 2023 on “Planning and Development.”
Afra Raymond was interviewed by Steve Khan, Richard Ragoobarsingh, Paul Richards and Wendell Stephens on the Power Breakfast Show on Power 102 FM discussing the collapse of the Piarco Airport corruption case that involved defendants all the way up to and including the Prime Minister. The pattern of the failure to convict white collar criminals in Trinidad and Tobago is noted and a solution is offered to reverse the trend. Audio courtesy Power 102 FM
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