THE JOINT Consultative Council for the Construction Industry (JCC) wishes to express our concern regarding the recent press reports on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) failed procurement of body cameras, a contract reportedly valued at $25 million and involving an unusually large advance payment of 70%.
The Office of Procurement Regulation’s (OPR) most recent annual report underscores persistent challenges in public procurement, including the widespread non-compliance and inadequate tenders and contract reporting. Despite the significant public interest and scale of the TTPS body camera contract, there appears to be no clear record of this procurement being disclosed or scrutinised in the OPR’s published reports or submissions to the OPR.
Given the magnitude of this contract, the unusual payment terms, and the lack of transparency surrounding its reporting, the JCC strongly urges the OPR to initiate some guidance to the procurement officer at the TTPS. Public confidence in our procurement system depends on the consistent enforcement of the law and the accountability of all those entrusted with public resources, regardless of the status of any related legal proceedings.
Fazir Khan
JCC president