‘Less red tape, more red carpet’
Wehby wants smoother procurement process, more support for local producers
Published:Saturday | December 9, 2023 | 12:10 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Parliamentary Reporter
Government Senator Don Wehby has called for a comprehensive review of why capital budgets are not fully utilised within stipulated time frames.
In his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on Friday, Wehby said he was in support of a proposal by Finance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke to amend the Procurement Act.
Senior government technocrats and members of parliament have discussed the perennial problems associated with the procurement process at meetings of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee of Parliament.
The committee, among other things, has the mandate to review government spending to ensure that taxpayers receive value for money.
The government senator is of the view that the proposed adjustment to the law would increase the effectiveness of the procurement system.
Commenting on the lack of efficiency in the procurement process, Wehby said that capital expenditure was vital to increasing the productive capacity of the economy.
“Unfortunately, the procurement process, in my mind, has been hampered by the deployment of funding for much-needed capital projects,” Wehby stressed, adding that red tape in getting approvals remains a problem.
He said that based on the Government’s accounting procedures, “if you don’t use, it you lose it”.
“I also believe that we need the right resources with the proper training and skill set to implement capital projects,” Wehby added.
He called for the objectives of capital projects to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound, adding that people should be held accountable.
SECURITY
Turning to the issue of crime, Wehby reiterated an earlier position he took on the issue of states of emergency (SOE).
“I still believe that the SOE is an important tool to fight the crime problem,” he said.
He thanked the members of the security forces for their commitment to protect and serve the country.
“We must, as a country, stand in solidarity with the security forces against the scourge of crime in this country,” the senator urged Jamaicans.
On the issue of food security, he said that Jamaica needs to cut its import bill from US$1 billion to US$500 million by the year 2030. To achieve this, Wehby said, “We need more import substitution. The right policies, business environment and incentives will provide the backing to attain this target.”
Further, he said the country must increase production to improve food security, raise productivity and create sustainable value-added food products.
“We must [reel] in the red tape and roll out the red carpet for our local farmers, manufacturers and other businesses so that they can build capacity to produce domestic goods at a reasonable price and increase local consumption for export,” he said.
On another issue, Wehby, who is also the CEO of GraceKennedy, noted the calls by some of his colleagues in the business sector for the importation of new talent to fill gaps in the labour market.
However, he said there was the need for a comprehensive analysis of the needs assessment of the situation in the island before steps are made to import labour.