Urgent changes are to be made to the Public Procurement Act.
So said Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley.
Speaking during a PNM rally at Hillview College on Thursday night, Rowley said the House of Representatives will sit next Wednesday to make the necessary changes.
Rowley said the present law meant no one could do business in a period of under two months, the time to facilitate tenders, responses and the input of an advisory committee on procurement.
He made reference to the fact of Finance Minister Colm Imbert having to issue an order to retroactively approve spending on goods and services for last week’s Caricom leaders meeting in TT.
The PM added:
“We have to come back to Parliament to amend it.
“If we don’t pass a law to put sensible arrangements in place, TT will grind to a halt.”
He said he had sworn an oath of office to put the people of TT first and criticised the Opposition for complaining about Imbert using the law to give a procurement exemption for Caricom.
Rowley said the current procurement arrangement cannot be allowed to stand because the Government would not be able to function.
“Today, I have directed the Leader of Government Business (Camille Robinson-Regis) to recall Parliament on Wednesday next week.
“The Government will go to Parliament, use the majority you have given us, and make sensible amendments to the law.
“We are not afraid of Parliament or the court house but of being like them (the Opposition).”