Letter of the Day | Reforming public procurement

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill recently renewed calls for amendments to Jamaica’s Public Procurement Act, citing inefficiencies caused by excessive procedural controls. He noted that the legislation was written “in a manner that demonstrated a lack of trust in government agencies”, resulting in a long and cumbersome process.

While the act has achieved much in promoting fairness and accountability, Jamaica’s procurement framework must evolve beyond rigidity toward a system grounded in trust, performance, and efficiency. Central to this transformation is strengthening the Office of Public Procurement Policy (OPPP) and empowering heads of procurement units (HPUs) to function as strategic leaders.

Since the passing of the 2015 Act, Jamaica has achieved greater transparency, but at the cost of agility. Multiple layers of reviews and approvals create bottlenecks that frustrate project delivery across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). The system, designed to safeguard the public purse, often prioritises control over outcomes. To achieve Vision 2030, reforms must restore balance, strengthening governance without stifling efficiency.

The OPPP has played a vital role in policy development and training, but its mandate remains largely advisory. It must evolve into both a policy architect and strategic performance monitor, capable of leading data-driven reform across the public sector.

A strengthened OPPP should:

• Conduct operational reviews of MDAs to assess compliance and performance, publishing scorecards to encourage accountability.

• Standardise approval structures across entities to eliminate inconsistency and delay.

• Implement a national performance framework with measurable indicators such as lead times, vendor participation, and cost efficiency.

• Integrate real-time analytics through GOJEP to detect bottlenecks and improve oversight.

• Lead capacity-building efforts through certification and continuous professional development.

• Adopt risk-based oversight, granting autonomy to high-performing entities while focusing attention where weaknesses persist.

In this redefined role, the OPPP would serve as an enabler rather than an enforcer, guiding, evaluating, and supporting MDAs to deliver better results for citizens.

Reform must also empower HPUs, the professionals responsible for executing procurement. Currently, many report through multiple administrative layers, which weakens accountability. HPUs should report directly to the head of entity (HOE) to ensure procurement is integrated with planning, budgeting, and implementation.

This alignment would strengthen accountability, improve responsiveness, and elevate the professional standing of procurement officers as strategic partners in decision-making.

Senator Hill’s call for reform highlights an essential truth: Jamaica’s procurement system must evolve from one rooted in distrust to one built on professionalism and results. By redefining the OPPP’s mandate and empowering HPUs, Jamaica can establish a framework that is efficient, transparent, and trusted, a model where good governance and agility co-exist to support sustainable national development.

DANE SMITH, MBA

Procurement Specialist