RBSC

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

OCG submits report into Air J’s sale of Heathrow slots

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • OCG submits report into Air J’s sale of Heathrow slots

    The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has concluded its investigation into the controversial sale of Air Jamaica's s slots at London's Heathrow Airport and submitted copies of the report to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney-General.

    The slots were sold to Virgin Atlantic Airlines in 2007.

    The Investigation was initiated by Contractor General, Greg Christie last April after Minister responsible for Air Jamaica, Senator Don Wehby, raised concern about impropriety and a lack of transparency in the sale of state assets.

    Questions were also raised about a breach of the Government's Procurement Guidelines, mismanagement and a breach of accounting procedures.

    Copies of the OCG's 196 page report on the Investigation have also been sent to the Finance Minister, the Financial Secretary; the President of Air Jamaica, as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate.

    The Bruce Golding administration had taken issue with the decision by the previous Government to divest the Heathrow slots.

    Finance Minister Audley Shaw maintained that they were sold too cheaply and accused the People's National Party administration of gross dereliction of duty in the manner it disposed of the slots.

    The landing gates and slots were sold for £5 million in a deal signed by Air Jamaica and Virgin Atlantic in early 20.

    Identity of potential Air J buyers not state secret - NWU

    Meanwhile, one of the trade unions representing Air Jamaica workers is calling on the Government not to keep the country in the dark on the names of the investors interested in acquiring the national air carrier.

    Despite statements by officials involved in the sale that the parties have signed a confidentiality clause, the National Workers Union (NWU) is insisting that the public be informed of the entities eyeing Air Jamaica.

    "There is nothing wrong in telling us who you are selling to ... we believe the country should know as this is our national airline that all of us travel on. It should not be state secret," said NWU Vice President, Granville Valentine.

    After failing to meet the March 31 deadline for the sale of the airline, the Ministry of Finance said it was working to complete the divestment by June.

    http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/16804/52/
    "Jamaica's future reflects its past, having attained only one per cent annual growth over 30 years whilst neighbours have grown at five per cent." (Article)
Working...
X