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published: Thursday | November 30, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody Rjuf6="true">
Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter
Government members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were on Tuesday at odds with their Opposition <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">colleagues</SPAN> over whether any progress was being made in the Sandals Whitehouse <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">probe</SPAN>.
Government members John Junor and K.D. Knight argued that the PAC, which is currently reviewing the US$43 million (approximately J$2.8 billion) cost overrun on the project, was questioning pointlessly those involved in the issue.
Mr. Junor also claimed Urban Development Corporation (UDC) representatives were being placed at a disadvantage as a result of the PAC's failure to quickly conclude the matter.
An abuse
"I think that what we have had here is an abuse! We had these people in here for eight weeks - the chairman, the project manager, quantity surveyor, the <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">managing </SPAN><SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">director</SPAN>, the architect, the legal officer, it is an abuse!" said Mr. Junor.
The disagreement between the parties developed after interim PAC Chairman Mike Henry indicated to the committee that the UDC would have to return next week.
Agreeing with Mr. Junor, Mr. Knight said the PAC had lost its focus.
"Chairman, I think we are proceeding aimlessly and I would really like to have a meeting where we determine how we are going to proceed," he said.
No focus
"What is happening now is questions are being asked all over the place. There is no real focus and I am accustomed to being in situations of this kind, where there has to be a focus," he added.
But Opposition member Audley Shaw, who has temporarily vacated the chairmanship of the committee, disagreed with the Government members, noting that there were outstanding questions
Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter
Government members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were on Tuesday at odds with their Opposition <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">colleagues</SPAN> over whether any progress was being made in the Sandals Whitehouse <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">probe</SPAN>.
Government members John Junor and K.D. Knight argued that the PAC, which is currently reviewing the US$43 million (approximately J$2.8 billion) cost overrun on the project, was questioning pointlessly those involved in the issue.
Mr. Junor also claimed Urban Development Corporation (UDC) representatives were being placed at a disadvantage as a result of the PAC's failure to quickly conclude the matter.
An abuse
"I think that what we have had here is an abuse! We had these people in here for eight weeks - the chairman, the project manager, quantity surveyor, the <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">managing </SPAN><SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">director</SPAN>, the architect, the legal officer, it is an abuse!" said Mr. Junor.
The disagreement between the parties developed after interim PAC Chairman Mike Henry indicated to the committee that the UDC would have to return next week.
Agreeing with Mr. Junor, Mr. Knight said the PAC had lost its focus.
"Chairman, I think we are proceeding aimlessly and I would really like to have a meeting where we determine how we are going to proceed," he said.
No focus
"What is happening now is questions are being asked all over the place. There is no real focus and I am accustomed to being in situations of this kind, where there has to be a focus," he added.
But Opposition member Audley Shaw, who has temporarily vacated the chairmanship of the committee, disagreed with the Government members, noting that there were outstanding questions
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