Civil groups call for transparency pledge fulfillment

MULTIPLE CIVIL society groups have added their voices to the call for  President Juan Carlos Varela to partially veto the procurement bill approved last week by the National Assembly and to deliver on his promise of transparency.

Their concerns are added to those of the independent group Movin, and the Chamber of Commerce who have already condemned the Assembly for failing to support an amendment to the bill which would prohibit companies like Odebrecht that have been found guilty of corruption abroad, from participating in bidding for  State projects.

In a Tuesday, May 3,  press conference, representatives of various organizations said that while there is “slight progress” with the law, it  needs significant improvements.

They said there are “a number” of additional aspects to review including the approval of a “framework agreement” for contracts, regulation of direct purchasing,, the need to improve the system of payments to providers, the stability of procurement officials, greater transparency in planning and budget formulation and the unification of the regulation of the acquisition of drugs and medical supplies.

The groups recalled that the current government pledged to adopt “a public system of purchase and procurement that is competitive and transparent.”