Our Team
Governance
The Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) is governed by a Board, Members of which are appointed by the President pursuant to Section 10 of the Act. The Members of the present Procurement Board are:
| To Be Appointed | Chairman/Procurement Regulator |
| Robby Bhola | Deputy Chairman |
| Revd. Joy Abdul-Mohan | Member |
| Natasha Ashby | Member |
| Frederick Bowen | Member |
| Nadine Bushell | Member |
| David Charlerie | Member |
| Herdis Lee Chee | Member |
| Dr. Anthony Lamb | Member |
| Tracey Rojas | Member |
Additionally, to effectively execute the functions of the OPR, a highly skilled and competent senior executive management team is retained. These members are:
| Aleem Baksh | Head, Information Communication Technology |
| Pastora Brown | Head, Procurement Policy Development |
| Maurissa De La Rosa | Head, Procurement Capacity Development |
| Joy Joseph-Lara | Head, Property Disposal |
| Delrene Liverpool-Young | Corporate Secretary |
| Stasha Mahabir | Executive Assistant to the Chairman/Procurement Regulator |
| Lindy-Ann Mitchell | Head, Legal |
| Nadira Mohammed | Head, Finance |
| Sharda Nanan | Head, Audit and Investigations |
| Tamara Roy | Head, Corporate Communications |
| Tamara Maharajh | Head, Administrative Review Secretariat |
| Jael Marcelle | Procurement Officer/ ‘Named’ Procurement Officer |
ROBBY BHOLA
FCCA, CA
Deputy Chairman
Robby Bhola is the Deputy Chairman of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
He is a Chartered Accountant with over nineteen (19) years progressive experience. Currently, Robby is the Principal of Robby Bhola and Associates where he leads the professional services firm which specialises in virtual CFO services, cloud and virtual accounting solutions, taxation services, consulting, external audit and internal audit services for clients in several industries.
Robby was admitted to Membership of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 2005 and became a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 2010. He also received the Chartered Accountant designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT). Additionally, Robby holds a Practising Certificate from ICATT in 2013 and was certified as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) in 2017. Robby continued his academic pursuits and was admitted to the Association of Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) in 2018.
Robby worked with a medium sized practice at the start of his career obtaining accounting, taxation and auditing experience for clients in the hotel, retail and manufacturing sectors where he also reviewed and proposed adjustments to financial statements reporting under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
He soon held the role of Audit Senior at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Barbados, and gained audit experience for clients within the following industries; banking, oil and gas, insurance, Government Agencies, distributors and retail industries. Robby then moved to Deloitte & Touche, Bermuda, where he gained experience auditing hedge funds reporting under IFRS and US GAAP. Robby relocated to Deloitte & Touche, Trinidad, as an Assistant Manager and progressed to Partner. Robby’s initial focus was external audit where he led audits and was also the concur review partner for clients of varying sizes and complexities within the financial services, insurance, oil and gas, manufacturing, retail and state enterprises. He also led the teams and signed off the Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) reports for all internal and external audit clients. Robby later led the outsourced internal audit department for the firm and served clients in the financial services, insurance and manufacturing industries.
Robby performed the role of Practice Reviewer whilst at Deloitte i.e. visiting other Deloitte Offices and grading of audit files in accordance with the firm’s audit methodology, some locations where reviews were performed include Bermuda, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands and South Africa. Further to the above, Robby performed the role of Engagement Remediation Leader for audit findings resulting from practice reviews for Deloitte Caribbean Firm.
Board Member
Tracey Rojas is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
She is a legal practitioner with close to twenty (20) years’ experience, Tracey has extensive experience in civil and commercial litigation and was a former Partner in the litigation department at a leading law firm. Her diverse experience spans exposure to areas such as property, tort, construction, banking, intellectual property(copyright/trademark), employment/industrial relations, domestic and cross border taxation, regulatory and contractual claims, amongst others. She has also worked as in house legal at different Ministries and state entities and in the procurement field with an Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) funded programme.
Tracey holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of the West Indies, a Legal Education Certificate (LEC) from the Hugh Wooding Law School, a LLM in International Commercial Law and Practice (Merit) from the University of Edinburgh, a PgDip in Technology, Media & Telecommunications law from Queen Mary University of London and a MSc in Business Analytics from Purdue University. She is also a certified Mediator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She also chairs a disciplinary tribunal for a statutory service commission.
Tracey is a member of and is actively engaged in charitable service with community and religious based organisations. Her special interests lie in the law and practice around emerging technologies, privacy, digital risk management, ethics, and compliance.
BSc, MSc, PhD, DIC, CMarEng, CEng, FIMarEST, MIET
Board Member
Dr. Anthony Lamb is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) with over eighteen (18) years’ experience in the areas of structural analysis, design and assessment of onshore and offshore structures in Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom (UK). Dr. Lamb holds a PhD in Earth Science and Engineering Research with specialisation in Computational Geo- mechanics from Imperial College, London. He received the Chevening Scholarship from the University of Wales, Swansea, to pursue his MSc in 2003 and earned it with Distinction, in Computational Modelling and Finite Elements in Engineering Mechanics. Dr. Lamb also holds a BSc in Civil Engineering (First Class) from The University of the West Indies (UWI).
Additionally, Dr. Lamb is a Registered Engineer (REng) with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago (BOETT), as well as a Chartered Marine Engineer (CMarEng) and Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, UK (FIMarEST).
Currently Dr. Lamb functions as an engineering consultant providing support in advanced numerical analysis, asset integrity management, design engineering and project management. At previous engineering consultancy and construction firms, he has successfully provided engineering support for Clients/Operators in the commercial, residential and energy sectors in Trinidad and Tobago, and the energy sectors in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Malaysia and Thailand. Of note, he has also published papers in international, academic and professional journals, as well as for conferences.
As a member of the Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain (RCCPOS), Dr. Lamb serves on the Membership Committee. He has also served on the Club’s Board of Directors, as Director of membership, for the 2014 – 2015 Rotary year.
For leisure, Dr. Lamb continues to explore numerical solutions for Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) and Computational Geo-Mechanics. Of course, time is also set aside for his daughter, whose current goal is to beat him at Chess!
MSc, ACMA, CGMA
Board Member
David Charlerie is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
He is a management accountant with over twenty-four (24) years’ experience in budgeting, management and financial reporting, with core competencies in financial, strategic and cost analysis, and budget analysis and presentation.
David is particularly adept at public sector accounting principles, having held progressively senior accounting posts in the public service for eighteen (18) years. Today, he is the manager operations at the Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation.
David’s academic achievements include a Master’s Degree in International Finance, a certificate in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Detection and SAP Certified Application Associate. He also holds an ACMA, CGMA designation with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Apart from honing accounting prowess, David has developed superb communication skills as a member of the Toastmasters International Club, having held notable positions and copping illustrious speaking titles, including Competent Communicator, Advanced Communicator Bronze and Advanced Leader Bronze status.
David is committed to developing effective personal leadership skills, including emotional intelligence, effective personal productivity and coaching; not only for himself, but also as a community builder and contributor.
MSc
Board Member
Nadine Bushell is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
She is currently the programme coordinator at the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS). At CARICOM IMPACS, Nadine is responsible for managing the Agency’s portfolio of programmes and projects. This involves project formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as resource mobilisation.
Nadine’s career has been in the field of development and project planning and management. She has worked in this field in the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago, in the Ministries of Planning and Development and Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs. Previously, Nadine worked with the United Nations Development Programme Caribbean Sub-regional Resource Facility, based in Trinidad and Tobago.
Nadine has extensive experience liaising and working with various international and regional development agencies and various stakeholders, including government and civil society, to mobilise and to manage the utilisation of development resources, geared towards national and regional development.
Nadine has an MSc in Development and Project Planning and is heavily involved in civil society work in the Caribbean region, through her involvement in the International Association of Lions Club. She is also a past district governor (DG) of district 60A – Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, and a past council chair for the Caribbean region.
Nadine is very active with the Catholic Commission for Social Justice in Trinidad and Tobago.
Board Member
Frederick Bowen is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr. Bowen is a Manager with thirty-two (32) years’ progressive experience in Supply Chain Management, Strategic Management and Business Systems and Processes Management with specialisation in the Energy-based
Industries and the Health Sector. His experience in the Energy Sector spans Power Generation, Methanol Production, Natural Gas to Liquids Processing and Oil and Gas Exploration and Production.
Mr. Bowen has made significant philanthropic contributions whilst serving as the President and member of the Rotary Club of Couva/ Pt. Lisas, the UWI St. Augustine Alumni Association in which he is a Life Member and an executive member for over eighteen (18) years. He has served as President for four terms and has also represented the St. Augustine Branch on the University Council, Board of Graduate Studies, the St. Augustine Campus Council and the UWI Endowment and Development Fund. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Maintenance and Security and Training Company (MTS) in the position of Vice Chairman.
Over his career Mr. Bowen has demonstrated strong leadership skills, analytical and negotiating expertise, along with keen networking and communication skills. These abilities have contributed to his track record as being a recognised professional in his field.
Mr. Bowen holds an MBA (Hons) from Andrews University Michigan USA, a BSC. in Industrial Management from UWI St. Augustine and a post graduate diploma in Purchasing and Supply Management (MCIPS) from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply in London. He also possesses extensive training and certification on Business Planning and Development, Neuro Linguistics Programming, Business Law, Strategic Procurement Planning and Business Communication.
Mr. Bowen is an avid sports fan and supporter of steel pan music.
BSc, MBA (Dist)
Board Member
Herdis Lee Chee is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
He is a uniquely diversified senior executive and advisor in procurement and supply chain management. Herdis holds an MBA in International Trade, Logistics and Procurement with Distinction from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business and a BSc in Economics. Herdis has also undergone extensive training in management, leadership and quality auditing.
With over forty (40) years’ experience in the public and private sectors, Herdis has in-depth experience in the development of contracting strategies, drafting contracts and contract management, development of ITT and tender management.
Some of his key roles include contracts & procurement team lead at British Gas of Trinidad and Tobago, supply chain manager at Tucker Energy Services Limited, procurement and logistics manager at the Public Transport Service Corporation and supply chain management consultant.
Herdis’ passion for people development has engaged him as a part-time, associate lecturer for the MCIPS Professional Graduate Diploma at the Purchasing Supply and Management Tuition Centre and for the Contracts and Procurement Fraud module of the Post Graduate Diploma in Forensic Auditing and Fraud, at the College of Science Technology and the Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT).
His desire to serve extends to his parish community, where he is engaged as a member of the Holy Innocence R.C. Church Music Ministry. Herdis has also served as the secretary of St. Benedict’s College Past Students Association and has offered alumni support for recruitment initiatives for the MBA ITLP program at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.
Herdis immensely enjoys football, and has managed the Diamond United Football Team.
RT. REV. JOY ABDUL-MOHAN
LTH, CERT. HE, MA(TS)
Board Member
Rt. Rev. Joy Abdul-Mohan is a member of the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
She is an ordained Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago (PCTT) for the past thirty-three (33) years and is the Moderator of the Synod, PCTT.
Rt. Rev. Abdul-Mohan, also known affectionately as Rev. Joy holds a Licentiate in Theology from SATC, Master of Arts from the Princeton Theological Seminary and Certificate of Higher Education in Law from the University of London. She is also currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Education (Minor in Law) as an independent student to facilitate her goals of personal development and serving the real needs of ordinary, grassroots people.
Rev. Joy was the first female Principal of the St. Andrew’s Theological College (SATC) where she served for eight years and lectured for 28 years, she was also the first local woman to graduate from SATC and the first female Presbyterian Minister to serve as an Independent Senator in the 10th Republic Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
Rev. Joy served as an Ecumenical Associate in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. and Moderator of the Caribbean and North America Area Council 2002-2004 (CANAAC). She has represented her church and presented papers at several consultations hosted by World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), the World Council of Churches (WCC), Council for World Mission (CWM) and the Caribbean and North America Council for World Mission (CANACOM) in the Caribbean, Brazil, Canada, USA, Switzerland, Thailand, England, Kenya and India. Some of these papers are published in periodicals and as resource material. She recently published a simple Devotional, “Reflections and Prayers During COVID-19”.
Rev. Joy has been involved in Community and Ecumenical work for the past 30 years and is the Vice President of the Rapid-Fire Kidz Foundation and served as a Prison Chaplain for ten (10) years where she championed Restorative Justice. She works with the elderly, abused women and children on a daily basis.
Rev. Joy is married, has a household of amazing and loving dogs and has an immense love for reading and nature.
LLB, LLM
Board Member
Natasha is an attorney with over twenty years’ experience in the Energy Sector. She has held various key senior management portfolios in the Treasury, Risk, Insurance, Commercial and Legal/Corporate Secretarial functions, where she has led complex multinational LNG negotiations, been an integral part of the team delivering substantial value through brownfield project development (including financing and insurances), held responsibility for managing and building customer relationships to the strategic benefit of the business and led the company’s legal team on significant arbitrations, litigations and re-openers. In recognition of her accomplishments, Natasha was invited to participate as member of the expert panel of the Juris Conferences Annual Damages in International Arbitration Conference (2017).
Natasha was admitted to practice in 1997 and is an alumna of the University of the West Indies – Bachelor of Laws Degree (Upper Second-Class Honours) (1995) and Master of Laws Degree, Corporate and Commercial Law (2006). She has served as a Board Member and Chairman of the Turtle Village Trust and on the Disciplinary Proceedings and Appeals Panel of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT)
A proud mother of a son, Natasha is passionate about all things Trinbagonian and is a sport and fitness enthusiast.
Currently, Natasha is the Vice President of Law and Corporate Affairs and Corporate Secretary of Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago, with responsibility for the company’s corporate governance, legal and ethics and compliance functions and, as part of executive management, assisting with the development and implementation of the company’s long term strategy.
Aleem Baksh
BSc (Hons), MBA (Dist)
Head, Information Communication Technology
Aleem Baksh is the Head, Information Communication Technology at the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR), where he is responsible for developing and implementing reliable and secure Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Systems for the organisation.
Aleem holds a B.Sc. Computer Science (First Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine and an Executive MBA (Distinction) from Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. Prior to joining the OPR, Aleem worked for 21 years in the IT department of Angostura Ltd, where he started off as a junior programmer/analyst in 1997. He was quickly promoted to departmental Manager in 2000 and became a Senior Manager in 2006. Prior to leaving in 2018, he was again promoted to Head of Department in 2008. At Angostura, Aleem was instrumental in developing and implementing many solutions which contributed to the organisation’s many successes.
Through his vast IT experiences, Aleem has honed 14 years supporting and implementing SAP ERP systems which has allowed him to support various business processes for Manufacturing, HR, Finance and Sales. Notably, Aleem has served on the ICT Committee of the Trinidad & Tobago Industry of Chamber & Commerce for approximately three years, where he held the post of Vice Chair for the then EBITT committee. He also served as secretary of the Board for two years for a residential community, managing the affairs of the community of 250+ residents.
Aleem has been a fervent follower of the Catholic faith since 2003 and has been serving monthly as a lector at the St Charles Roman Catholic Church since 2008. This service is evidence of his life’s mantra “to live a meaningful life with purpose, serving others and to build a better world for future generations to inherit.” An avid reader, Aleem also loves to travel and host friends and family to sample his culinary delights.
Tamara Roy
MBA, BA (Hons)
Head, Corporate Communications
Tamara Roy is the Head, Corporate Communications at the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) where she champions the organisation’s public relations, branding and reputation management functions.
Tamara is a marketing and communication strategist, consultant and coach with over 21 years progressive work experience. While extensively engaged in these fields, she has honed a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the areas of marketing research, planning and implementation and communication planning, execution and evaluation, with keen specialisation in branding, leadership and change communication.
Having served private and public organisations in diverse industries, Tamara’s rich working experiences are undergirded by sound academia, having attained an MBA (marketing communication specialisation) and BA (marketing specialisation) respectively from Anglia Ruskin University, UK. She is also professionally trained and certified in public relations, event management, protocol, crisis communication and many other related areas that contribute to her all-round expertise.
As an avid practitioner of life-long learning towards self-empowerment, Tamara believes in paying it forward. This is enshrined in everything she does, ensuring persons who encounter her feel motivated, inspired and empowered to go to the next level of their own journey.
Tamara loves art, is a travel and food enthusiast and enjoys kickboxing and yoga.
Sharda Nanan
ACCA, BSc, MBA, CIA, FCPA, CFE
Head, Audit & Investigation
Sharda Nanan is the Head, Audit and Investigation at the Office of the Procurement Regulation (OPR). Sharda’s academic achievements include a BSc in Management (Hons), ACCA certification, a diploma in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Detection, and an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School – School of Business of Heriot-Watt University. Sharda is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Forensic Certified Public Accountant, holding memberships at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiner and the Forensic Certified Public Accountant Society (USA). With over 15 years’ experience in internal audit, risk evaluation and global banking, Sharda is the consummate audit professional with career experience spanning companies such as RBTT Financial, Caribbean Finance Group and the Environmental Management Authority. Continuous honing of her profession and skillset has not only benefited her career but also her community, where she pays an active role in the Village Council, as a past treasurer and member of the executive. Outside of her profession, Sharda is a dedicated daughter, a loving wife and caring aunt to her 6 nieces and nephews, to whom she is fondly known as “Aunty Ashtie.”
Nadira Mohammed
MBA, F.C.C.A., C.A., FCPA
Head, Finance
Nadira Mohammed is the Head, Finance at the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) where she is tasked with establishing and maintaining stringent financial systems and controls. She brings to the organisation close to twenty years’ (20) experience in accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, costing and risk management.
A Chartered Accountant and Forensic Certified Public Accountant, Nadira holds an MBA from Henley Business School and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago, a member of the Forensic CPA Society and a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
Following a rewarding career in the private sector, Nadira decided to serve the public sector. She subsequently entered the Estate Management and Business Development Company Limited in 2009 as an Accountant and was soon promoted to Divisional Manager, Finance in 2011.
In 2013, Nadira proceeded to join the leadership team of the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards in the position of Financial Comptroller, where she was responsible for leading the team in the areas of Accounting, Procurement and Inventory. Apart from her strategic and leadership responsibilities, Nadira also played a critical role in aligning the Finance department to the dynamic regulatory and commercial aspects of the organisation. Nadira’s experience leading diverse teams, professional proficiency and irrefutable work ethic has afforded her the opportunity to train and mentor many aspiring Accountants.
Known for her humility and calm demeanour, Nadira also enjoys yoga, movies and travel.
Lindy-Ann Mitchell
LLB (Hons), LEC, MSC
Head, Legal
Lindy-Ann Mitchell is the Head, Legal at the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) and is responsible for providing legal services with respect to all aspects of the organisation’s operations.
Lindy-Ann is a practical and skilled Attorney-at-Law who was called to the Bar in Trinidad & Tobago in 2005. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, the Hugh Wooding Law School and the University of London. Lindy-Ann has also participated in a myriad of legal courses and professional and academic training in areas such as corporate and commercial law, public law, employment law, co-operative studies, public procurement law and regulatory framework, project management, corporate governance and mediation studies.
Lindy-Ann has a wealth of professional experience including, holding senior positions at the National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (NIPDEC) and the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL). During her tenure at the NIPDEC and EFCL she has appeared with the Executive teams before the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee and Joint Select Committee respectively, to report on several issues ranging from regulatory and financials to project management and others.
Her illustrious career was also demarcated at the Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission and the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development where she handled many civil litigation cases and appeared as instructing Counsel in the Magistrate Court and Supreme Court of Judicature, instructing both Junior and Senior Counsel in matters. She was also in-house Counsel at the Co-operative Development Division during the Inquiry into the Hindu Credit Union Cooperative Society Limited.
In addition to her professional endeavours, Lindy-Ann loves community service projects and is particularly interested in causes which are geared towards the youth and elderly. In the interest of giving back, Lindy-Ann has served as a member of the Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Youth Group and as Vice Chairman of the Morvant/Laventille Secondary Local School Board.
Beyond her office doors, Lindy-Ann’s recreational interests include swimming, reading and traveling.
Delrene Liverpool-Young
BSc (Hons), LLB (Hons), LEC, LLM
Coporate Secretary
Delrene Liverpool-Young serves as the Corporate Secretary to the Procurement Board of Trinidad and Tobago. She leads this organisation’s corporate governance and compliance function and provides legal advice to the Board, its Committees and Senior Management.
Delrene is a legal professional with vast experience working alongside governmental agencies. Drawing on her passion for International Environmental and Oil & Gas Law and her background in Policy drafting, she has contributed to the development of “Jamaica’s Ocean and Coastal Zone Policy,” and has researched, written, presented and co-authored numerous papers and reports such as the “Energy Cluster Mapping and Value Chain Analysis of the Energy Sector of Trinidad and Tobago.” Delrene has also gained experience in the fields of Public Interest Law, Real Property Law and Criminal Law, having interned and worked at the Office of the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change (Jamaica), Allum Chambers (Trinidad) and Rand Law LCC (Florida). In the past, she has provided legal research support to a team of Harvard Law Lecturers and the Legal Team in the controversial Trayvon Martin Case (United States of America) and Mario Deane Case (Jamaica), both of which shaped the national landscape of those countries. She has also served as the President of the Student Representative Council of the Hugh Wooding Law School, In-Country Legal Researcher of the International Development Law Organization (I.D.L.O) and the International Affairs Chairperson of the Cave Hill Campus Guild of Students. She is currently the Head of the esteemed Legal Team of the Organization for Abused and Battered Individuals (O.A.B.I). In all her endeavors, Delrene is the consummate young professional, diligent and innovative in her approach.
On a softer note, motivated by her personal motto, ‘The Sky is Not the Limit: There is Scope Beyond’, she is a confident woman who has a great love for travel and discovering lovely beaches.
Joy Joseph-Lara
MBA, BSc, CPPS
Head, Property Disposal
Mrs. Joy Joseph-Lara is the Head – Property Disposal at the OPR. She holds an MBA (Specialisation in Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Innovation) from ‘Anglia Ruskin University’ (UK), a BSc in Management from ‘The University of West Indies’ (UWI) and Diplomas in Business Management from the John Donald Technical Institute and Purchasing and Supply Management from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, UK (CIPS). She is also a Certified Professional Property Specialist (CPPS) achieved through the National Property Management Association (NPMA), USA. Additionally, she has obtained knowledge and certification in Property Law, Blue Economy-Sustainability, Innovation and our Ocean, Introduction to Sustainable Development in Business and Judicial Conduct and Ethics.
Joy has over (15) years’ progressive experience in Procurement, Logistics, Warehouse/ Inventory Management and Property Disposal, with specialisation in the Public Sector. Additionally, she has experience in Real Estate Sales from the Private Sector. Joy’s experience in the public sector spans from Trinidad & Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) and then on to Evolving TecKnologies Enterprise Development Company Ltd (e TecK) with responsibility for both procurement & disposal on the Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre & Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort Renovation Projects.
Joy has made significant philanthropic contributions from being a member of the North West District Youth Executive (PAWI), Leader/Adviser in Junior Achievement Youth Development Projects and Coordinator of community initiatives through ‘Ministry of Social Development Poverty Reduction Programmes’. Over her career, Joy has demonstrated leadership capabilities, teamwork and communication skills, which have contributed to her being a recognised professional in her field. Joy enjoys singing, socialising and mentoring young persons to aid in their overall development.
LLB (Hons), LEC, MBA (Dist)
Head, Procurement Capacity Development
Maurissa Shari De La Rosa is the Head of Procurement Capacity Development at the Office of Procurement Regulation, where she applies critical core knowledge and skill in the areas of capacity development and regulatory compliance, to provide stellar capacity building support and guidance to the organisation and public bodies engaged in public procurement within Trinidad and Tobago.
Maurissa holds an MBA in International Trade, Logistics and Procurement with Distinction from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, the Osgoode Certificate in Procurement Law and Practice from the Osgoode Hall Law School, a Bachelor of Laws (with Second Class Honours) from The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus and a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School.
An Attorney-at-Law with over nine years’ experience in Corporate Law and Procurement, Maurissa has held the prolific posts of Attorney at Law, Junior and Legal Officer at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) for seven years, prior to joining the OPR. Here, she honed desirable skills in navigating complex negotiations, civil law, property law, industrial relations law and built irrefutable leadership and motivational capabilities.
Maurissa is currently the representative for the Office of Procurement Regulation at both CARICOM’s Re-convened Task Force on Government Procurement and the World Trade Organisation’s plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement
She enjoys working with young people and participating in the development of management skills in legal professionals.
An avid reader, Maurissa’s outgoing nature is exhibited in her love for travelling and participating in social events.
Pastora Brown
BA (Hons), PGDip, MBA (Log&SCM)
Head, Procurement Policy Development
Pastora Brown currently serves as Head, Procurement Policy Development at the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) where she champions the development of public procurement policies, Handbooks and Guidelines.
Pastora holds an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MBA Log&SCM), a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDip), a BA in Business Administration and Diplomas in Project Management and Data Processing Management. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).
Pastora’s illustrious, twenty-five (25) years’ experience in public sector procurement and tendering was gained through a range of positions held in the public and private sectors. Her prolific roles included procurement policies and procedures development, portfolio management, planning, scheduling and execution of procurement activities for the acquisition of goods, works and services.
Passionate about professionalising the procurement function, Pastora has developed and facilitated several procurement related training workshops for both public and private sector professionals. Notably, she has presented on the topics such as ‘Introduction to Procurement Ethics: Beyond Compliance’, ‘Request for Proposals Planning & Management: A Best Practice Framework’ and ‘Strategic Sourcing and Portfolio Management’. In March 2019 she presented on the topic ‘Public Procurement Reform in a Developing Nation State: A Paradigm Shift – The Case of Trinidad and Tobago’ at the University of Nottingham’s International Public Procurement ‘Global Revolution IX’ Conference in the UK. Pastora has also served on the board of directors of the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) and the Caribbean Association of Procurement Professionals (CAPP).
Pastora is a fun-loving, health enthusiast who is committed to her faith walk and being a source of good guidance to all with whom she interacts.
Stasha Mahabir
BA, LLB, LPC, C.C.Sec
Executive Assistant to the Chairman
Stasha Mahabir is the Executive Assistant to the Chairman at the OPR.
Stasha holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario Canada, where she also worked for several years before returning to Trinidad to manage her family’s business.
Stasha later went on to study Law and was called to the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago after completing a Bachelor of Laws with Second Class Honours from the University of London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice with a Commendation at Staffordshire University. She is also a Chartered Corporate Secretary and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Privacy and Cybersecurity Law at York University in Toronto.
During her formative years as a legal professional in law firms such as RLM & Co., Asaf Hosein & Associates and at the Legal Unit of the former Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Stasha honed expertise in legal research, communication and analytical reasoning, while gaining extensive knowledge of substantive law and legal procedure.
An avid reader and lover of travel, Stasha also volunteers at an urban farm in south Trinidad which promotes awareness of sustainability in agriculture.
Jael Marcelle
BSc., MBA (Log&SCMgmt)
Procurement Officer/ ‘Named’ Procurement Officer
Jael Marcelle is the Procurement Officer and the “Named” Procurement Officer at the Office of Procurement Regulation. She is responsible for public procurement and disposal of public property for the Office.
Jael loves creating value for stakeholders and finding innovative ways to enable their vision and deliver on strategic goals.
With over 19 years’ progressive procurement experience, Jael has successfully managed and led procurement teams within sectors such as Aviation and Health. Her enthusiasm for procurement empowers her to demonstrate creativity whilst seeking innovative ways to have a positive impact on the triple bottom line.
Jael attained an MBA (Logistics and Supply Chain Management) from the Australian Institute of Business, a B.Sc. in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies and is certified in Public Procurement Practice, as well as the Identification and Prevention of Corruption in Procurement. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).
Jael enjoys sharing her positive hope for the future with others and is dedicated to her faith and family. She also has many diverse talents such as a certified tile layer, nail technician and she has completed a Chocolate Making course at the University of the West Indies.
Tamara Maharajh
L.L.B., L.E.C., L.L.M
Head, Administrative Review Secretariat
Tamara Maharajh is the Head, Administrative Review Secretariat at the Office of Procurement Regulation. She is responsible for providing legal and administrative support to the Office in relation to Challenge and Ineligibility Proceedings where she spearheaded the development of procedures and processes for their efficient operation including the integration of technology in case management techniques.
Being a Member of the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago since 2009, Tamara possesses a Master of Laws in Public Procurement Law and Policy (Distinction) from the University of Nottingham, a Legal Education Certificate (Merit) from Hugh Wooding Law School and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Hons) from the University of the West Indies.
Tamara’s legal experience is grounded in civil litigation and legal advice having been an Advocate Attorney at the Solicitor General’s Chambers for seven years where she had conduct of a myriad of matters including tort, public law, constitutional law and dispute resolution before the High Court and Court of Appeal. She also appeared as Junior Counsel to Senior Counsel in several public interest matters. She served as in-house Counsel at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries where she prepared and advised on contractual obligations arising from energy related agreements and participated in bid round planning activities. Her progressive experience continued at the Service Commissions Department where she represented the Commissions before the Public Service Appeal Board and the Equal Opportunity Tribunal. She also provided advice to the various Commissions (Public, Teaching, Police and Judicial & Legal) in relation to disciplinary and procurement matters.
Tamara strives to maintain her professional development with training in mediation, ethics, procurement and contractual issues to name a few. She is committed to providing quality service and mentoring others and believes that her efforts will benefit future generations. Apart from her professional pursuits, Tamara enjoys gardening and interior decorating.
