Breaking corrupt Arab-Asian monopoly in mega tenders
Friday, March 13, 2020
Fine, if you are okay with it, but don’t try and lie to us. These Middle-Eastern and Far East players are so spoilt by corruption that they mistake our development budget for a birthright. I only partially blame them.
They have been led into that thinking by our irredeemably corrupt ruling class. I was gravely incensed last year when they breached the sacred floor of Parliament to frustrate efforts to ensure Batswana have drinking water and to edge a worthy competitor from the sector. That they did it in conspiracy with Batswana was though disgusting, by no means surprising.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...