Dear Editor,

The call for the Government to simplify the way we do business with their respective agencies came in for renewed attention during the recent visit of the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde.

Her visit, while focusing on the overall success, to date, of the IMF programme in Jamaica, provided an opportunity for us to look at other areas for which the Government is calling for growth in the economy. One area which l believe should come in for immediate review is the government procurement policies and guidelines.

The policy is cumbersome, repetitive and layered over like a lasagne. The first thing we should do is abolish the National Contracts Commission (NCC).

Anyone should be allowed to bid on GOJ projects/procurement, thus allowing a wider field of suppliers and more competitive bids for GOJ contracts. All the work that this agency does now could be carried out by the procuring entities.

As to its sector committee, this is an unnecessary layer in the process and should have been done away with long ago. It is a waste of time that often results in delays of up to three months in awarding GOJ contracts.

The next thing that needs to be addressed is an increase in the contract value submitted for public tender. The present amount of $5 million is too small. It should be increased to $15 million, in keeping with inflation over the many years since this amount was established.

The Government should move with haste to address this albatross of bureaucracy from around the collective neck of the business community and allow us to set the country on a path to growth.

Winston D Barrett

Manor Park

mycomm876@gmail.com