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THE National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (NIPDEC) has come under scrutiny for possibly facilitating favouritism towards some big pharmaceutical companies, while smaller suppliers suffered.

During a meeting of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of the Parliament yesterday, which sought to examine the State’s acquisition of pharmaceuticals, focusing on the current processes for importation and approval, the spotlight again fell on former health minister Terrence Deyalsingh, as NIPDEC officials were grilled on whether Deyalsingh was present and aware when payments to certain big companies were being fast-tracked.

The PAAC was told that NIPDEC, acting on instructions from the Health Ministry’s permanent secretary, Asif Ali, had prioritised payments to some companies.