Where is Teeth in Stores Orders Regulations?

Mark Lizarraga

The 1968 Stores Orders Regulations were last amended in 1992. They establish ceilings under which accounting officers may purchase stores both locally and internationally without first having written approval from the Financial Secretary and with no change to the tender procedure. The argument is that the low ceilings of three thousand for individual items of stores, seven thousand in total cost of items of stores in a single order, and total cost of items obtained from abroad needing prior approval restricted government purchases. But Business Community Senator Mark Lizarraga says that is secondary to transparency and accountability.

Mark Lizarraga, Senator, Business Community

“With the low confidence people have in those that spend taxpayers’ money, wouldn’t we have been better served by seeing legislation accompanying these increases in limits? To tighten the discipline, first of all; the transparency, second of all; and the accountability. We see no such. What we are seeing today is the relaxing.”

Herbert Panton

Herbert Panton, U.D.P. Senator

“Prior to the proposing of these regulations, the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act designated the Financial Orders and Stores Orders as administrative only; administrative policy only. So they had no force of law, no substance, no teeth behind it; they were administrative only.”