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JUTC MESS - Sangster and Chambers accused of misleading OCG; Christie wants criminal sanctions against top exec
published: Saturday | November 29, 2008
File photos
From left, Chambers and Sangster.
Damion Mitchell, Assistant News Editor
THE CONTRACTOR General has recommended that criminal charges be laid against the acting managing director of the Jamaica
Urban Transit Company, JUTC, Bindley Sangster.
Greg Christie made the recommendation in a report on a special probe into the awarding of some contracts at the state-run bus company. The investigation was initiated after the June 27 murder of JUTC chairman, Douglas Chambers.
False statement
In the 104-page report tabled in the Senate yesterday, the contractor general said Sangster wilfully made a false statement to his office when he said the JUTC's finance committee approved contracts with Simber Productions that were awarded in February.
The contracts were for a JUTC SmartCard feature on the Susan Show, a JUTC commercial, and a 'Ride and Win Summer Bling' advertisement.
Sangster was the chairman of the JUTC's finance committee at the time the contracts were awarded.
Yesterday, Sangster who is now overseas told The Gleaner that he would not immediately comment on the report. He said on his return to the island next week, he will review the report and decide whether it was necessary to respond.
The contractor general found that there was a clear conflict of interest in the award because Chambers was a part of Simber Productions.
In fact, Christie said Chambers lied when he claimed that he was not the major shareholder in the company. Christie found that the contracts were awarded to Simber Productions after the company approached the JUTC on February 1, 2008.
Second shareholder agreed
He said the contracts were agreed on during a meeting with Susan Simes, the second shareholder of Simber Productions, Lenworth Simms, JUTC marketing manager, and Chambers.
Christie said although no bid was invited from Simber Productions, quotations were invited from two other entities, after the meeting between Simes, Chambers and Simms.
And the Contractor General said the board of the JUTC was not made aware of the negotiations with Simber Productions. He said board members were only informed of the deal in a February 27 meeting, when it was announced that the contract had been awarded.
It was also at that time that Chambers made an oral declaration that he had an interest in Simber Productions.
The contractor general found that the JUTC's procurement committee involving Sangster, Dennis Chung and Raphael Barrett failed to take action to ensure that the contracts were fairly awarded.
Yesterday, calls to Chung's phone went unanswered and The Gleaner was unable to make contact with Barrett.
Opposition spokesman on transport Robert Pickersgill yesterday said he was appalled at the findings of the contractor general.
He said the Government should provide every facility to allow for a criminal probe. At the same time, Pickersgill said Sangster, Barrett and Chung should resign from the JUTC board to facilitate further investigation.
The Contractor General has sent copies of his report to the Police Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions suggesting that Sangster allegedly committed a criminal offence when he uttered false information to his office.
The contractor general has also rapped the JUTC for awarding a $31.8 million dollar security contract to Protection and Security Limited that was not approved by the National Contracts Commission and the Cabinet.
The Office of the Contractor General is also recommending that an existing contract between the JUTC and Cool Petroleum Limited be put to tender. The contract for the supply of fuels and lubricants was signed with Shell Company, whose asets and liabilities were acquired by Cool Petroleum Limited in February 2006.
published: Saturday | November 29, 2008
File photos
From left, Chambers and Sangster.
Damion Mitchell, Assistant News Editor
THE CONTRACTOR General has recommended that criminal charges be laid against the acting managing director of the Jamaica
Urban Transit Company, JUTC, Bindley Sangster.
Greg Christie made the recommendation in a report on a special probe into the awarding of some contracts at the state-run bus company. The investigation was initiated after the June 27 murder of JUTC chairman, Douglas Chambers.
False statement
In the 104-page report tabled in the Senate yesterday, the contractor general said Sangster wilfully made a false statement to his office when he said the JUTC's finance committee approved contracts with Simber Productions that were awarded in February.
The contracts were for a JUTC SmartCard feature on the Susan Show, a JUTC commercial, and a 'Ride and Win Summer Bling' advertisement.
Sangster was the chairman of the JUTC's finance committee at the time the contracts were awarded.
Yesterday, Sangster who is now overseas told The Gleaner that he would not immediately comment on the report. He said on his return to the island next week, he will review the report and decide whether it was necessary to respond.
The contractor general found that there was a clear conflict of interest in the award because Chambers was a part of Simber Productions.
In fact, Christie said Chambers lied when he claimed that he was not the major shareholder in the company. Christie found that the contracts were awarded to Simber Productions after the company approached the JUTC on February 1, 2008.
Second shareholder agreed
He said the contracts were agreed on during a meeting with Susan Simes, the second shareholder of Simber Productions, Lenworth Simms, JUTC marketing manager, and Chambers.
Christie said although no bid was invited from Simber Productions, quotations were invited from two other entities, after the meeting between Simes, Chambers and Simms.
And the Contractor General said the board of the JUTC was not made aware of the negotiations with Simber Productions. He said board members were only informed of the deal in a February 27 meeting, when it was announced that the contract had been awarded.
It was also at that time that Chambers made an oral declaration that he had an interest in Simber Productions.
The contractor general found that the JUTC's procurement committee involving Sangster, Dennis Chung and Raphael Barrett failed to take action to ensure that the contracts were fairly awarded.
Yesterday, calls to Chung's phone went unanswered and The Gleaner was unable to make contact with Barrett.
Opposition spokesman on transport Robert Pickersgill yesterday said he was appalled at the findings of the contractor general.
He said the Government should provide every facility to allow for a criminal probe. At the same time, Pickersgill said Sangster, Barrett and Chung should resign from the JUTC board to facilitate further investigation.
The Contractor General has sent copies of his report to the Police Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions suggesting that Sangster allegedly committed a criminal offence when he uttered false information to his office.
The contractor general has also rapped the JUTC for awarding a $31.8 million dollar security contract to Protection and Security Limited that was not approved by the National Contracts Commission and the Cabinet.
The Office of the Contractor General is also recommending that an existing contract between the JUTC and Cool Petroleum Limited be put to tender. The contract for the supply of fuels and lubricants was signed with Shell Company, whose asets and liabilities were acquired by Cool Petroleum Limited in February 2006.
...I suppose...
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