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Opposition demands probe of how contractor general's report went public
BY ALICIA DUNKLEY Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PARLIAMENT has been asked to investigate the source of last week's leak of the contractor general's special report on his investigation into the controversial Cuban light bulb project, ahead of the document being tabled in Parliament.
CHRISTIE. report was protected at a very high level
The call came from the benches of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), apparently taking some of the spotlight off MP Kern Spencer, the then junior minister who had responsibility for the project, and turning the heat on the Office of the Contractor General.
Former House Speaker and Opposition member of parliament for Southern Manchester, Michael Peart told the House that his investigations had shown that the report was e-mailed from the Contractor General's Office.
"I think we should start there and I'm wondering if there is any formal investigation being done to ascertain the source of that leak," Peart said.
Peart was supported by his colleague Peter Phillips, the leader of Opposition business, who said that given the fact that the Office of the Contractor General was a Commission of Parliament, the legislature should look into the allegation.
"I would urge that in the same manner in which you have undertaken your investigation of the way the clerk and her office exercised responsibility to the public and the law in relation to this report, the same be done in relation to the conduct of the Office of the Contractor General," Phillips said.
Contractor General Greg Christie, speaking with the Observer last night, challenged Peart to produce evidence linking his office to the leak of the report.
"If they have that evidence they need to bring it forward; I would welcome anyone to bring before me evidence they are suggesting they have indicating we redirected the report to persons other than those we sent copies to," the contractor general said.
He said that even at the draft stage the report was kept under restricted password-protected access and only six persons of his close to 50 staff members were able to view it.
"It was protected at a very high level. If it was e-mailed from my office, whoever did that would have committed a criminal offence under the Contractor General Act, and the country has my word the person would be immediately dismissed and the matter referred to the Director of Public Prosecution.
"I would therefore encourage him (Peart) to promptly produce the evidence, don't wait. If Mr Peart is saying a copy left my office that way it would have been an unauthorised copy," Christie added.
In addition, Christie said the 11 copies of the report sent from his office to public officials, as is required by Section 20, subsection (1) and Section 21 of the Contractor General's Act, were delivered under police escort last week Monday.
A release, he added, was sent to members of the media, as is customary, advising of the completion of the report and naming the formal recipients of the copies of the report.
In the meantime, House Speaker Delroy Chuck said his investigations had shown that the report was not leaked from the offices of the Parliament.
"Concerns have been raised about this report being made public before it was actually laid today in Parliament," Chuck told the House. "I have done my investigations and I can assure members that if it was leaked it was not leaked from this Parliament."
According to Chuck, copies of the report which were sent to the Parliament had been "kept under close guard".
Chuck, however, said the fact that the report was in the public domain before it was laid in the House was of "great concern".
However, Energy Minister Clive Mullings, who had first informed the House about the controversial light bulb project last year, took offence at the stance taken by Opposition MPs, branding their intervention as an "an attempt to kill the messenger".
"The fact of the matter is that this has been tabled in Parliament today and it's very important for us not to lose sight of this mischief and it's very important for us as members of this House to deal with this matter fulsomely in terms of the contents of this report," Mullings said.
Amidst shouts of 'siddung' from some Opposition members, Mullings said the finger being pointed at the Office of the Contractor General was an irresponsible one.
"The leader of Opposition business has, by process of elimination, said in this Honourable House that the breach has occurred at the Office of the Contractor General and I am saying that for the leader of Opposition business to make such an assertion is irresponsible and we shall not allow this matter to become a sideshow and I will speak when the time comes," Mullings said.
The speaker, in his intervention, said discussions would be held between House Leader Derrick Smith and Leader of Opposition Business Peter Phillips on how the proposed investigations would proceed.
Contractor General Greg Christie, in a damning report made public last week, accused former junior minister Spencer of "improper, unauthorised and unlawful intervention in the project's procurement, contract award and contract payment processes" under the initiative started by the previous Government for the installation of free light bulbs donated by the Cuban Government.
BY ALICIA DUNKLEY Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PARLIAMENT has been asked to investigate the source of last week's leak of the contractor general's special report on his investigation into the controversial Cuban light bulb project, ahead of the document being tabled in Parliament.
CHRISTIE. report was protected at a very high level
The call came from the benches of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), apparently taking some of the spotlight off MP Kern Spencer, the then junior minister who had responsibility for the project, and turning the heat on the Office of the Contractor General.
Former House Speaker and Opposition member of parliament for Southern Manchester, Michael Peart told the House that his investigations had shown that the report was e-mailed from the Contractor General's Office.
"I think we should start there and I'm wondering if there is any formal investigation being done to ascertain the source of that leak," Peart said.
Peart was supported by his colleague Peter Phillips, the leader of Opposition business, who said that given the fact that the Office of the Contractor General was a Commission of Parliament, the legislature should look into the allegation.
"I would urge that in the same manner in which you have undertaken your investigation of the way the clerk and her office exercised responsibility to the public and the law in relation to this report, the same be done in relation to the conduct of the Office of the Contractor General," Phillips said.
Contractor General Greg Christie, speaking with the Observer last night, challenged Peart to produce evidence linking his office to the leak of the report.
"If they have that evidence they need to bring it forward; I would welcome anyone to bring before me evidence they are suggesting they have indicating we redirected the report to persons other than those we sent copies to," the contractor general said.
He said that even at the draft stage the report was kept under restricted password-protected access and only six persons of his close to 50 staff members were able to view it.
"It was protected at a very high level. If it was e-mailed from my office, whoever did that would have committed a criminal offence under the Contractor General Act, and the country has my word the person would be immediately dismissed and the matter referred to the Director of Public Prosecution.
"I would therefore encourage him (Peart) to promptly produce the evidence, don't wait. If Mr Peart is saying a copy left my office that way it would have been an unauthorised copy," Christie added.
In addition, Christie said the 11 copies of the report sent from his office to public officials, as is required by Section 20, subsection (1) and Section 21 of the Contractor General's Act, were delivered under police escort last week Monday.
A release, he added, was sent to members of the media, as is customary, advising of the completion of the report and naming the formal recipients of the copies of the report.
In the meantime, House Speaker Delroy Chuck said his investigations had shown that the report was not leaked from the offices of the Parliament.
"Concerns have been raised about this report being made public before it was actually laid today in Parliament," Chuck told the House. "I have done my investigations and I can assure members that if it was leaked it was not leaked from this Parliament."
According to Chuck, copies of the report which were sent to the Parliament had been "kept under close guard".
Chuck, however, said the fact that the report was in the public domain before it was laid in the House was of "great concern".
However, Energy Minister Clive Mullings, who had first informed the House about the controversial light bulb project last year, took offence at the stance taken by Opposition MPs, branding their intervention as an "an attempt to kill the messenger".
"The fact of the matter is that this has been tabled in Parliament today and it's very important for us not to lose sight of this mischief and it's very important for us as members of this House to deal with this matter fulsomely in terms of the contents of this report," Mullings said.
Amidst shouts of 'siddung' from some Opposition members, Mullings said the finger being pointed at the Office of the Contractor General was an irresponsible one.
"The leader of Opposition business has, by process of elimination, said in this Honourable House that the breach has occurred at the Office of the Contractor General and I am saying that for the leader of Opposition business to make such an assertion is irresponsible and we shall not allow this matter to become a sideshow and I will speak when the time comes," Mullings said.
The speaker, in his intervention, said discussions would be held between House Leader Derrick Smith and Leader of Opposition Business Peter Phillips on how the proposed investigations would proceed.
Contractor General Greg Christie, in a damning report made public last week, accused former junior minister Spencer of "improper, unauthorised and unlawful intervention in the project's procurement, contract award and contract payment processes" under the initiative started by the previous Government for the installation of free light bulbs donated by the Cuban Government.
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