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Article Published: Sunday, October 11th, 2009
Jamaica’s commitment to fighting organized crime could be questioned against the background of the government awarding over $100 million in contracts to Incomparable Enterprise Limited, a company owned by strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, for whom an extradition request has been made by the United States government to face gun and drug trafficking charges.
Records from the Kingston & St Andrew Corporation and the Office of the Contractor General show that the contracts were awarded after the ruling Jamaica Labour Party took over parish council in 2003, and August 2009. Less than a year after assuming power, the government awarded the company a number of lucrative contracts, which, by August this year, amounted to a whopping $71,754,897.49 in contracts endorsed by the National Contracts Commission. In its 2007 Election Manifesto, the JLP stated that it would ensure that contractors registered with the National Contracts Commission would be required to produce satisfactory police records. And those who engage the services of sub-contractors with criminal records involving conviction for gun-related or violent crimes would be removed from the register of contractors.
However, while Incomparable Enterprise Limited has fulfilled its legal requirements to be awarded government contracts in this regard, critics are questioning the government’s commitment to law and order in the light of the damming allegations against Coke by the US government.
http://www.sunheraldja.com/2009/10/%...-in-contracts/
Jamaica’s commitment to fighting organized crime could be questioned against the background of the government awarding over $100 million in contracts to Incomparable Enterprise Limited, a company owned by strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, for whom an extradition request has been made by the United States government to face gun and drug trafficking charges.
Records from the Kingston & St Andrew Corporation and the Office of the Contractor General show that the contracts were awarded after the ruling Jamaica Labour Party took over parish council in 2003, and August 2009. Less than a year after assuming power, the government awarded the company a number of lucrative contracts, which, by August this year, amounted to a whopping $71,754,897.49 in contracts endorsed by the National Contracts Commission. In its 2007 Election Manifesto, the JLP stated that it would ensure that contractors registered with the National Contracts Commission would be required to produce satisfactory police records. And those who engage the services of sub-contractors with criminal records involving conviction for gun-related or violent crimes would be removed from the register of contractors.
However, while Incomparable Enterprise Limited has fulfilled its legal requirements to be awarded government contracts in this regard, critics are questioning the government’s commitment to law and order in the light of the damming allegations against Coke by the US government.
http://www.sunheraldja.com/2009/10/%...-in-contracts/
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