Call for ethical conduct
September 04, 2018
Tuesday, September 4th 2018: The Finance department of the Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning is reminding the business community, as well as all government employees of its ethical principles it upholds, in the management of public funds and as well as in the awards of contracts across government.
Businesses that government carries out business with, are under no obligation to tip any government employee to process their payments. All procurement of goods, services and civil works are guided by the Public Finance Management regulations, the Public Procurement Act and the Payment and Expenditure Policy issued earlier this year that guides payment settlement timeframes for carrying out business with government.
Therefore once a good has been procured, a service sought or a capital project is awarded, this means a contractual obligation between the supplier or contractor, and the government. As such, the settlement of the payment is to be made accordingly without any duress. Due process in processing and verification of the payment should be allowed to happen.
There should be no obligation or necessity to tip any government employee upon completion of a project, to speed up processing the claims of a business, with the assumption in mind that there is a need to thank government officers that was involved in such project.
The department also denounce any attempt for suppliers and contractors to bribe government officials with intent of being awarded future contracts or be chosen as a supplier of goods. Acceptance of any bribe by a public service employee is a serious offence and shall render the employee concerned liable to disciplinary action.
The business community is being advised to promote good ethical values as well in their dealings with government and are being called on to notify the department of any such cases which they are being compelled to tip government officials.
This can be done by reporting such cases to the Principal Secretary for Finance office on 4382015.
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