Civil servants learn how to spend public money wisely |21 July 2009

This will also ensure their work complies with procedures set up under the country’s procurement law, enacted last December.

The training – through a five-day workshop – has been organised by the procurement oversight unit in the Ministry of Finance, in partnership with the National Tender Board, the International Law Institute and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).

Minister Faure (at podium in photo above) addressing delegates at the launch of the working session yesterday

It is giving the delegates knowledge of the wider issues that can cut across the practice of buying for the government and an ability to recognise the positive and negative aspects of the procurement action taken.

They will also learn about international and Comesa best practices regarding the procurement process.

The working session was launched yesterday at the International Conference Centre by Minister for Finance Danny Faure in the presence of Comesa project manager Colas Ziki and heads of partner institutions.

Mr Faure reminded those present that in all modern economies an efficient and effective public purchasing system is an essential pillar for good governance and sound management of public finances.

He said the performance of the country’s procurement system determines whether funds are available to carry out the government’s programme.

“The ability of governments to meet their promises of economic and social improvements is closely related to how well procurement is carried out,” he added.

Mr Faure also said Seychelles’ spending on goods and services amounts to more than 35% of the annual budget, and the government recognises that procurement has a major impact on delivering quality public services and on our overall economic performance.

He said the Seychelles Procurement Act is an integral part of the country’s financial reforms, which seek to achieve accountability in public sector financial management and spending.

The main factors that made this procurement reform necessary, he said, were the challenging economic climate – which brought to the fore the need to achieve cost savings – and the government’s strategy to boost Seychelles’ economic performance.

These depend on suppliers, service providers and contractors playing their part in delivering better, smarter public services for the same or lower cost, improving governance, oversight and accountability, and increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized firms to bid for government business.

Mr Faure also said public procurement worldwide is an area that is seen as vulnerable to irregularities, scandals, corrupt practices, influence peddling and opaque transactions.

“Our stance on corruption is clear, it is one of zero tolerance,” he added.

On behalf of Comesa’s secretary-general Sindiso Ngwenya, Mr Ziki said the Seychelles Public Procurement Act of 2008 shows clearly that there have been major strides in procurement reform here.

This, he said, is a welcome development, and Comesa is pleased to note this progress, which is consistent with the overall thrust of its procurement reform initiative.

He added that Comesa will use a regional regulation as an instrument to introduce and run the long-awaited regional procurement market, expected to be launched early in September.

By and large, the market’s principle is that member states will be required to publicise those public spending requirements that go beyond national thresholds on Comesa’s procurement website.

Mr Ziki said suppliers from anywhere in the region will be free to submit bids as long as they fulfil basic validation criteria.

During the workshop, the delegates will gain practical knowledge of the procurement process for use in their daily duties by discussing case studies and sharing experiences.

It is also expected that knowledge and experience gained during the training will be passed on to colleagues at a lower level.
The workshop will end on Friday.