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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Christie puts public officials on warning</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>. Threatens criminal action against persons who ignore requests from OCG</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Observer Reporter
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>CHRISTIE. the Office of the Contractor General is compelled to act, and must do so forthrightly and dispassionately</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>CONTRACTOR-GENERAL General Greg Christie yesterday threatened criminal proceedings against public officials who continued to ignore requests from his office for information on the award of public contracts to facilitate its investigations.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Christie, in a letter issued yesterday to public sector administrators and copied to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and members of her Cabinet, said that unlawful disregard for compliance with requisitions from his office relating to critical contracts award data was "manifestly systemic".
"It is therefore now abundantly clear that the OCG (Office of the Contractor General) is compelled to act, and must do so forthrightly and dispassionately if it is to effectively discharge its several mandates under the law," Christie said in his letter.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The contractor-general's warning comes on the heels of a meeting which he recently held with the Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry, following questions raised about the compliance of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) on the Sandals Whitehouse US$43 million cost overrun investigations.
In the letter, Christie said that the OCG has for years been faced with a "flagrant and nonchalant" disregard by public bodies and public officers.
"As a recent example, of the 191 public bodies which have been directly served with the OCG's July 11, 2006 quarterly contracts awards (QCA) requisition, only 81 have to date responded by submitting their 2006 second quarter QCA reports. These reports were due on September 15, 2006.
With regard to the 2006 third quarter QCA reports, which are due on October 31, 2006, only 25 of the 191 public bodies have so far made the required submissions," Christie said in his letter.
"Formal notification of the OCG's initiative to secure particulars of contracts which are being awarded within the $250,000 to $4 million value range was first given to all permanent secretaries on April 10, 2006.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"These alarming statistics have unequivocally confirmed what was suspected all along, and what has been the subject of numerous unheeded reports and complaints by the country's successive contractors general. The unlawful disregard for compliance with the OCG's requisitions, especially as it relates to requisitions for the supply of critical contract award data, is not only a cultural and embedded practice, it is manifestly systemic.
<SPAN class=Subheadline>. Threatens criminal action against persons who ignore requests from OCG</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Observer Reporter
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=163 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>CHRISTIE. the Office of the Contractor General is compelled to act, and must do so forthrightly and dispassionately</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>CONTRACTOR-GENERAL General Greg Christie yesterday threatened criminal proceedings against public officials who continued to ignore requests from his office for information on the award of public contracts to facilitate its investigations.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Christie, in a letter issued yesterday to public sector administrators and copied to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and members of her Cabinet, said that unlawful disregard for compliance with requisitions from his office relating to critical contracts award data was "manifestly systemic"."It is therefore now abundantly clear that the OCG (Office of the Contractor General) is compelled to act, and must do so forthrightly and dispassionately if it is to effectively discharge its several mandates under the law," Christie said in his letter.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The contractor-general's warning comes on the heels of a meeting which he recently held with the Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry, following questions raised about the compliance of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) on the Sandals Whitehouse US$43 million cost overrun investigations.
In the letter, Christie said that the OCG has for years been faced with a "flagrant and nonchalant" disregard by public bodies and public officers.
"As a recent example, of the 191 public bodies which have been directly served with the OCG's July 11, 2006 quarterly contracts awards (QCA) requisition, only 81 have to date responded by submitting their 2006 second quarter QCA reports. These reports were due on September 15, 2006.
With regard to the 2006 third quarter QCA reports, which are due on October 31, 2006, only 25 of the 191 public bodies have so far made the required submissions," Christie said in his letter.
"Formal notification of the OCG's initiative to secure particulars of contracts which are being awarded within the $250,000 to $4 million value range was first given to all permanent secretaries on April 10, 2006.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"These alarming statistics have unequivocally confirmed what was suspected all along, and what has been the subject of numerous unheeded reports and complaints by the country's successive contractors general. The unlawful disregard for compliance with the OCG's requisitions, especially as it relates to requisitions for the supply of critical contract award data, is not only a cultural and embedded practice, it is manifestly systemic.