00:00On the special zones bill, I spent two days working on amendments to improve the legislation. To no avail. That's
00:08not happening today. Let me be clear. Without safeguards in place, this bill offers opportunities for Boboel. There is great
00:18potential for mischief.
00:19Independent Senator Anthony Vieira in the Senate as he expressed his concerns about the 2026 bill containing new amendments to
00:27the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act.
00:31Senator Vieira made a direct reference to Prime Minister Kamlo Passat-Basasa having called all nine independent senators demons after
00:39they did not support the Special Operations Bill, which was passed with the Senate President's casting vote.
00:46The government said the 2026 Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment bill also only requires a simple majority.
00:55A transparent, predictable procurement system is itself part of a healthy business environment. Now, I would like to believe that
01:05with all the faults and potential for abuse, with the right amendments, I believe this bill is salvageable.
01:14So, I had hoped that the benches would have worked together to avoid a financial ambush dressed up as the
01:22ease of doing business.
01:24But in light of the Prime Minister's declared refusal to accept amendments from the independent bench, I decided to save
01:31my time and energy.
01:32Despite not offering any amendments, Senator Vieira referred to the new categories of exemptions in the 2026 procurement amendments, such
01:41as the energy sector, emergency works for public utilities and national security.
01:46The minister responsible for national security could certify that a particular procurement requires special treatment.
01:54Reasons can be recorded confidentially.
01:57The procurement regulator can receive the information in confidence.
02:01The auditor general can retain an audit in role.
02:05The number and aggregate value of national security exemptions can be reported without revealing operational details.
02:13In piloting the bill, Planning and Economic Affairs Minister, Dr. Kennedy Swatsing, explained that the government was seeking to remove
02:20procedural burdens.
02:22This government is not eliminating safeguards from Trinidad and Tobago's public procurement and disposal of public property system.
02:32The aim is to reduce procedural burdens on specific procurement transactions, taking into account these transactions' nature, urgency, risk and
02:46strategic importance.
02:48The new amendments to the Procurement Act also includes an exemption for public-private partnership for public housing.
02:55Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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