FINANCE minister Dr Nigel Clarke says the Government is pushing to revise the public procurement system to make it data-driven and evidence-based in order to improve efficiency, which in some instances could mean eliminating certain processes or steps that are now followed.

“It is the case that in many agencies and ministries of Government, procurement takes far too long. Part of the problem is that we have many layers in the procurement process, so we are going to have to reimagine our public procurement system in light of present realities, in a drive to achieve greater levels of efficiency,” he said, adding that the ministry is carrying out a data-intensive process retrieving information from 27 variables in the procurement process, including economic efficiency, regulatory compliance, and efficiency.

The finance minister was speaking at the ceremony for the public procurement commission’s (PPC) International Standards (ISO) 9001 certification for its quality management system at the commission’s offices in New Kingston on Wednesday. The prestigious achievement comes at a time when the commission has also achieved a track record in reduced processing time for supplier registration applications and the review of procurement submissions from government ministries, departments and agencies.

He pointed out that the Government’s procurement process was implemented prior to the establishment of certain anti-corruption bodies with prosecutorial powers. “It [the process] was only supposed to serve two functions, and because it was only supposed to serve two functions, this has made it inefficient,” he said, arguing that developed countries operate differently, with less bureaucracy in order to facilitate business, but use investigative agencies to conduct follow-ups where needed.

“Stuff coming through our ports, we have scanners and this and that. The USA doesn’t do any such thing; they allow things to go through, but they have powerful investigative bodies, so the idea is that you don’t hold up the system because 0.1 per cent might be bad; you let the system flow at the fastest rate it can, and you have the bodies that can go after the 0.1 [per cent],” he explained.

Meanwhile, the finance minister noted that the PPC saw a 15 per cent increase in registration by suppliers over the one-year period 2021-2022, moving from 771 to 884 suppliers.

He pointed to the digital registration system which the PPC implemented at the height of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which meant more suppliers could register with less hassle.

“Before that platform the supplier had to come in with his or her papers, sit down, wait, go get signature, etc. Today, with the digital platform, the supplier can stay in their office and register as a supplier to the PPC. By making it easier to register, what we had is more entrepreneurs registering to be a provider of goods and services to the Government of Jamaica,” he said.