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JA Cricket 2007 Ltd can’t pay its debt 
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }A formal request is to be made to Cabinet to write off debts totalling over $375 million as a result of Jamaica's participation in the 2007 International Cricket Council's (ICC's) Cricket World Cup.
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }This information emerged at Tuesday's sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The committee members, who were probing the accounts of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, were told that the company cannot honour its obligations to pay off multi million dollar loans as it is moving to wind up its operations.
The Government entity was set up five years ago to steer Jamaica's involvement in the much-outed 2007 ICC World Cup.
PAC members learnt that the Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, headed by Robert Bryan, the former boss of the Social Development Commission is in deep financial trouble.
The company is saddled with debts totalling US$4.2 million from commercial loans which were sought to build a new cricket stadium, other venues and facilities necessary to host the games.
Writing-off $375 mil debt
Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited which has ceased operations is currently seeking a Government write off to settle its accounts because it cannot pay its loans.
PAC member Ronald Thwaites sought explanations and was told that Jamaican Cricket 2007 has been a financial disaster to Jamaica and the region.
"Is there going to be an explanation or some understanding so we don't walk this way again? We were told that this was going to be the finest investment that we could ever make with public funds so how can we now go to Cabinet and ask them to write off the money," Mr. Thwaites asked.
PAC Chairman Dr. Omar Davies explained that while those questions have to be answered, the financial affairs of the company also have to be tidied up so the company can be wound up.
Auditor General Pamela Munroe-Ellis said the document remain unsigned, several months after they were submitted by the management of Jamaica Cricket.
"Late last December, Cricket 2007 submitted to my office the financial statements for 2005, 2006 and 2007 but they were not signed," she said.
A former senior manager of Jamaica Cricket is to be summoned to the next PAC meeting.
$50,000 OT price tag for 22 hr work day
In the meantime, PAC members expressed disbelief after being told that a Government employee claimed overtime for working 22 hours per day for 13 consecutive days.
An audit revealed that the employee, who is attached to the Taxpayer Administration and Service Department (TASD) pocketed over $50,000 in overtime two years ago.
The claim was never verified by management.
Head of the TASD Commissioner Grace Rookwood explained that the employee was assigned special duties, where direct supervision was required for the tiling of premises at the Office Centre Building at Ocean Boulevard.
"The area is used by taxpayers ... therefore the work had to be done after hours. The work was being done by workmen hired by the landlord and the arrangement was made that the work men would come in at the close of business and the work would go until 5am and our person would be present during that time.
"He would leave at 5am, go home and refresh himself and return to work for his normal duties," said Mrs. Rookwood.
Work-a-thon
This explanation however, did not go down well with PAC members.
Andrew Gallimore said it was hard to accept that the employee could have justified the overtime claim.
"I am saying to you that this is not a matter of whether you are being humane as this is not humanly possible and if you're talking about diminishing returns, I'm sure you'll get major diminishing returns as nobody can work for that period," he said.
"The problem you face is that this gentleman couldn't have assigned himself this task so it seems like his superiors signed off on this work-a-thon but it's a strange decision to be made that only one person could do this," said Dr. Davies, PAC Chairman.
Mrs. Rookwood said the TASD accepts that a bad decision was made and systems have been put in place for better supervision of unusual work assignments and to query extraordinary claims.
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }A formal request is to be made to Cabinet to write off debts totalling over $375 million as a result of Jamaica's participation in the 2007 International Cricket Council's (ICC's) Cricket World Cup.st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }This information emerged at Tuesday's sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The committee members, who were probing the accounts of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, were told that the company cannot honour its obligations to pay off multi million dollar loans as it is moving to wind up its operations.
The Government entity was set up five years ago to steer Jamaica's involvement in the much-outed 2007 ICC World Cup.
PAC members learnt that the Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, headed by Robert Bryan, the former boss of the Social Development Commission is in deep financial trouble.
The company is saddled with debts totalling US$4.2 million from commercial loans which were sought to build a new cricket stadium, other venues and facilities necessary to host the games.
Writing-off $375 mil debt
Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited which has ceased operations is currently seeking a Government write off to settle its accounts because it cannot pay its loans.
PAC member Ronald Thwaites sought explanations and was told that Jamaican Cricket 2007 has been a financial disaster to Jamaica and the region.
"Is there going to be an explanation or some understanding so we don't walk this way again? We were told that this was going to be the finest investment that we could ever make with public funds so how can we now go to Cabinet and ask them to write off the money," Mr. Thwaites asked.
PAC Chairman Dr. Omar Davies explained that while those questions have to be answered, the financial affairs of the company also have to be tidied up so the company can be wound up.
Auditor General Pamela Munroe-Ellis said the document remain unsigned, several months after they were submitted by the management of Jamaica Cricket.
"Late last December, Cricket 2007 submitted to my office the financial statements for 2005, 2006 and 2007 but they were not signed," she said.
A former senior manager of Jamaica Cricket is to be summoned to the next PAC meeting.
$50,000 OT price tag for 22 hr work day
In the meantime, PAC members expressed disbelief after being told that a Government employee claimed overtime for working 22 hours per day for 13 consecutive days.
An audit revealed that the employee, who is attached to the Taxpayer Administration and Service Department (TASD) pocketed over $50,000 in overtime two years ago.The claim was never verified by management.
Head of the TASD Commissioner Grace Rookwood explained that the employee was assigned special duties, where direct supervision was required for the tiling of premises at the Office Centre Building at Ocean Boulevard.
"The area is used by taxpayers ... therefore the work had to be done after hours. The work was being done by workmen hired by the landlord and the arrangement was made that the work men would come in at the close of business and the work would go until 5am and our person would be present during that time.
"He would leave at 5am, go home and refresh himself and return to work for his normal duties," said Mrs. Rookwood.
Work-a-thon
This explanation however, did not go down well with PAC members.
Andrew Gallimore said it was hard to accept that the employee could have justified the overtime claim."I am saying to you that this is not a matter of whether you are being humane as this is not humanly possible and if you're talking about diminishing returns, I'm sure you'll get major diminishing returns as nobody can work for that period," he said.
"The problem you face is that this gentleman couldn't have assigned himself this task so it seems like his superiors signed off on this work-a-thon but it's a strange decision to be made that only one person could do this," said Dr. Davies, PAC Chairman.
Mrs. Rookwood said the TASD accepts that a bad decision was made and systems have been put in place for better supervision of unusual work assignments and to query extraordinary claims.
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