Senate Passes Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill After Oversight Debate

Trinidad and Tobago’s Senate has passed procurement-law amendments intended to speed projects. The Government says safeguards remain, while the Transparency Institute warns exemptions could weaken oversight.

Photo via Express · from Scotland ordered to leave chamber

4 reports from 3 outlets · First reported Fri, Sep 25

Summary

Updated Sep 30, 2026

The Senate passed the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill, 2026, after parliamentary debate over procurement oversight.
Express +3
The Government says the amendments shorten the procurement standstill period to five to 10 days while preserving safeguards.
TTT News
The Transparency Institute says broader exemptions could weaken procurement regulation and reduce scrutiny of public spending.
Guardian
Housing Minister Phillip Alexander says the changes will support faster housing construction through public-private partnerships.
Guardian

Automatically summarised from the coverage below.

Coverage

Sep 30, 2026

Alexander: Procurement overhaul will speed up housing

Housing Minister Phillip Alexander said new procurement laws will speed up construction and help the Government move toward its promise of 20,000 homes in Trinidad and Tobago, largely through public-private partnerships. His comments came amid political debate over the changes, with critics warning about weaker oversight. In Maloney, he also addressed garbage complaints, blaming illegal dumping and promising new waste facilities.

Sep 28, 2026

Government Says Procurement Changes Will Speed Up Projects, Maintain Safeguards

The Government says proposed changes to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Bill will cut delays, shorten the procurement standstill period from 10–15 days to 5–10 days, and keep oversight and accountability. Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh said the reforms will help projects, jobs and emergency procurement move faster. Phillip Alexander also alleged past breaches and defended $3.4 billion in housing contracts.

Sep 25, 2026

Transparency Institute warns procurement bill weakens oversight

The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute is urging the Government to pause a procurement amendment bill, warning that it would expand exemptions for energy, national security and public housing projects while weakening the Office of Procurement Regulation’s oversight powers. TTTI says the changes could reduce scrutiny of public spending and shift the system toward after-the-fact reporting.

Sep 25, 2026

Scotland ordered to leave chamber

Speaker Jagdeo Singh ordered Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland out of the House for 15 minutes on Wednesday after he objected to Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath’s remarks during debate on the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Padarath had accused the PNM and San Fernando East MP Brian Manning of procurement breaches, prompting a heated exchange over parliamentary procedure and allegations of hypocrisy.

Senate Passes Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill After Oversight Debate

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