Contractor General Alleges Improprieties By Pair of Jamaican Ministers

Above: Parliament

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Office of the Contractor General of Jamaica has released a pair of reports finding alleged impropriety by Jamaican government ministers in the award of government contracts.

One report addressed Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell, regarding what it described as “improper intervention” involving a bidding to supply 360 MW of power to the national grid.

The OCG’s second report questioned the award of contracts to construct/repair and rent shops at the Spalding Market in the area of Clarendon, and the role of Richard Azan, Member of Parliament for Northwest Clarendon and Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, along with several other public officials in the area.

It referred Azan to the director of public prosecutions for disciplinary action.

This is not the first time the OCG has referred Jamaican ministers (or the Cabinet as a whole) for prosecution, although until now such referrals have carried little weight.

What will come of these findings remains to be seen, although both have been tabled in Parliament.

The Prime Minister’s office said it had not yet had time to discuss the report fully, and had no response to offer as yet.