Planning and Sustainable Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie said the appointment of a regulator under the recently proclaimed Procurement Act will be done by the President and not the minister.
Tewarie was responding to a claim made by People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate for Arouca/Maloney Camille Robinson-Regis that the Government had recently proclaimed sections of the new Procurement Act and would be moving to appoint someone to the post before the September 7 general election.
“So we have to look out for that,” she told her large crowd at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, on Tuesday night. The meeting was in support of PNM candidates for D’Abadie/O’Meara, retired Brig Ancil Antoine, and Arima, Anthony Garcia. Robinson-Regis said the person likely to be given the job was not properly qualified.
Tewarie confirmed that sections of the Act were proclaimed on August 3 but dismissed Robinson-Regis’ claim that the Government would be moving to appoint the regulator before next month's general election. He said a committee, chaired by former Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith and including representatives from the T&T Transparency Institute, Chambers of Commerce, was appointed by the Cabinet to look at the speedy implementation of aspects of the new law.
Tewarie said five acting positions within his ministry were expected to be confirmed as soon as possible, adding that the appointments were being made by the Public Service Commission and not the minister. PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley, who also spoke at the Arima meeting, said if the Government proceeded with the appointment before the polls and the PNM won the election, it would seek legal advice to ensure fairness prevailed in T&T.
“So tonight I am saying to those persons who are about to be victimised in the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development that if the Government goes ahead and make that appointment on coming into office those persons will have the full support of the new government in approaching the court for judicial review of the action of any person who have made an appointment of that nature,” he added.
Rowley said the government and taxpayers would stand the legal cost of doing that.
“The time has come for this nonsense to stop. Let them go ahead and do that. I am putting Bhoe Tewarie on notice tonight, win lose or draw, those people—I don't know who they are but they are citizens of T&T—and they deserve to be treated fairly,” he said. Rowley also said a PNM government would present “draconian witness protection legislation” to ensure witnesses were protected.