Small contractors to get 20 percent of all gov’t contracts

DPI, Guyana, Friday, July 13, 2018

The government is currently working out a system that will allow small contractors in Guyana to benefit from at least 20 percent of government contracts.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told a Linden, Region Ten community meeting on Sunday that the administration is revising the preconditions of the laws governing contracts to ensure that small operators in various areas of service are also included.

He was, in fact, addressing the concern of a resident of the mining town, who complained that he had spent millions of dollars tendering for contracts but was never able to qualify. Minister Harmon said a number of issues might have contributed to that.

Minister Harmon said within the laws of Guyana it is required that 20 percent of public contracts be awarded to small businesses.

“This is something that we are working on seriously,” he said, noting that there is no standard by which one can judge how a small contractor can get this 20 percent.

“That is something we are working on right now to ensure that all small contractors get their 20 percent.”

He said several proposals have been made and alluded to the system in Jamaica which requires that big contractors show in their tendering that they are also accommodating the small businesses.

Minister Harmon said he has already met with the small contractors’ association, where he assured them of government’s work towards bringing fairness in this regard.

However, he stressed that for these contractors to benefit, they must register their businesses to aid recognition and legality

“Small contractors, that is part of the law and we are going to try to ensure that you get your 20 percent share of the contract of what takes place,” he said.

By: Alexis Rodney

Image: Keno George